Lib. 


'74^juz^'-  y^ '  /^/^^ 


Dromio  of   Ephesus;      "  Methinks  you  are  my  glass,  and  not  my  brother: 
I  see  by  you  I  am  a  sweet-faced  youth  ' ' 

The  Comedy  of  Errors  Act  V  Scene  i 


Copyright,    1901 

By 

THE    UNIVERSITY    SOCIETY 


COLLB 
LIBRAF 


Pf= 


THE  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS.        A  Z, 
Preface.  ' 

The  First  Edition.  The  Comedy  of  Errors  first  ap- 
peared in  the  Folio  of  1623,  where  it  immediately  follows 
Measure  for  Measure.  ''  The  names  of  all  the  actors  " 
are  not  given  at  the  end  of  the  play  as  in  the  case  of  the 
previous  plays ;  in  the  stage-directions  to  the  first  two 
Acts  the  two  Antipholi  are  distinguished  as  Antipholus 
Erotes  and  Antipholus  Sereptus;  the  latter  title  was  prob- 
ably derived  from  the  Mencechmus  Surreptus  of  Plautus 
a  character  evidently  well-known  to  the  Elizabethans  (cp. 
Cambridge  Shakespeare,  Note  i )  ;  as  regards  the  former 
name,  it  is  noteworthy  that  Erotion  (also  Errotis  in  Act 
11.)  is  the  name  of  "the  Courtezan"  in  Plautus'  Men- 
cechmi ;  to  this  source  the  name  may  perhaps  be  referred ; 
otherwise  it  must  be  regarded  as  an  error  for  Erraticus  or 
Erraus. 

The  Comedy  of  Errors  is  the  shortest  of  all  Shake- 
speare's plays;   its  total  number  of  lines  is  1770. 

Date  of  Composition.  The  Comedy  of  Errors  is 
mentioned  in  1 598  by  Meres  in  his  Palladis  Tamia  among 
the  six  "  excellent "  comedies  of  Shakespeare.  In  the 
Gesta  Grayoriim  of  1594  occurs  what  is  probably  the 
earliest  reference  to  the  play : — 

*'  After  such  sport,  a  Comedy  of  Errors  (like  to  Plautus 
his  Menechmus)  was  played  by  the  players;  so  that  night 
began  and  continued  to  :he  end,  in  nothing  but  confusion 
and  errors ;  whereupon  it  was  ever  afterwards  called  the 
Night  of  Errors."  There  are  other  references  to  come- 
dies of  "  Errors  "  (a  "  Historic  of  Error  "  was  acted  by 


Preface  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

the  St.  Paul's  children  at  Greenwich  as  early  as  New  Year 
1576-7),  but  they  merely  indicate  that  the  phrase  was 
proverbial.  Certain  critics  detect  in  these  pre-Shake- 
spearian  plays  the  original  of  Shakespeare's  Comedy. 

One  or  two  points  of  internal  evidence  are  helpful  in 
fixing  the  approximate  time  of  composition.  In  Act  III. 
ii.  125  there  is  evidently  an  allusion  to  the  civil  war  in 
France  between  Henry  III.  and  Henry  of  Navarre,  which 
lasted  from  August,  1589,  to  July,  1593.  Further,  the 
reference  to  "  whole  armadoes  of  caracks  "  in  the  same 
Scene  suggests  the  earlier  rather  than  the  later  limit : 
the  play  may  safely  be  dated  1589-91.*  This  early  date 
is  corroborated  by  the  general  style  of  the  play : — its 
lyrical  passages  with  rhyming  couplets  and  alternate 
rhymes;  the  doggerel  verse;  the  abundance  of  quibbles 
and  word-play;  "the  prologue-like"  speech  of  ^geon 
in  the  opening  scene  ;  lines  suggestive  of  other  early  plays 
{e.  g.  Act  II.  ii.  200,  reminds  us  of  Midsmmner-Nigh'fs 
Dream  ;  cp.  Act  IV.  i.  93,  and  Love's  Labour 's  Lost,  II.  i. 
219,  and  Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona,  1.  i.  y2). 

Sources  of  the  Plot.  The  main  plot  of  The  Comedy 
of  Errors  is  directly  or  indirectly  derived  from  the  Men- 
cochmi  of  Plautus, — "  a  farce  of  mistaken  identity,"  which 
very  early  in  the  history  of  the  modern  drama  became  a 
favourite  theme  with  dramatists :  pre-Shakespearian 
paraphrases  and  adaptations  exist  in  French,  German,  and 
Italian;  the  interlude  of  "  Jack  Juggler  "  (1563)  is  probably 
its  earHest  representative  in  EngHsh  Hterature.  The  oldest 
extant  English  translation  appeared  in  the  year  1595,  with 
the  following  title: — Mencscmi,  a  pleasant  and  fine  con- 
ceited Comccdie,  taken  out  of  the  most  excellent  wittie 
Poet  Plautus.  Chosen  purposely  from  out  the  rest  as 
least  harmefull,  and  yet  most  delightfiill    Written  in  Eng- 

*  Cp.  An  attempt  to  determine  Chronological  Order  of  Shake- 
speare's Plays;  H.  P.  Stokes,  pp.  16-20. 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Preface 

lish,  by  W.  W.  (i.e.  "William  Warner").  .  .  .  1595. 
The  translation  is  in  prose;  an  argument  in  verse  pre- 
cedes : — 

"  Two  Twin-born  sons,  a  Sicill  merchant  had, 
Menechmus  one,  and  Soseles  the  other: 
The  first  his  Father  lost,  a  little  lad, 
The  Grandsire  named  the  latter  like  his  brother. 
This  (grown  a  man)  long  travel  took  to  seek 
His  brother,  and  to  Epidamnnm  came, 
Where  th'  other  dwelt  inriched,  and  him  so  like, 
That  Citizens  there  take  him  for  the  same : 
Father,  wife,  neighbours,  each  mistaking  either, 
Much  pleasant  error,  ere  they  meet  togither," 

These  lines  may  serve  to  indicate  the  leading  points  of 
difference  between  the  simple  Latin  farce  and  the  complex 
Comedy  of  Errors.  (The  translation  is  to  be  found  in 
Hazlitt's  Shakespeare's  Library,  Part  II.  vol.  i.). 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  whether  Shakespeare  owes 
anything  to  Warner's  translation,  which  may  have  ex- 
isted in  manuscript  long  before  the  date  of  its  entry  on 
the  books  of  the  Stationers'  Company  (1594).  It  is  per- 
haps noteworthy  that  Adriana  in  the  Comedy  and  the  wife 
of  Menechus  the  Citizen  in  the  English  translation  both 
use  the  same  word  with  reference  to  their  supposed 
ignoble  treatment : — 

Senex.    What  is  the  matter? 

Mulier.   He  makes  me  a  stale  and  a  laughing-stock  to  all  the  world. 

cp.  Comedy  of  Errors,  Act  II.  i.  100 : — 

Adriana.  He  breaks  the  pale, 

And  feeds  from  home;  poor  I  am  but  his  stale. 

A  few  minor  points  of  this  description  (e.g.  the  use  of 
"  error '"  in  the  last  line  of  the  Argument)  have  led  some 
scholars  to  the  conclusion  that  Shakespeare  had  read 
Warner's  version  of  the  play.  But  may  not  the  translator 
owe  this  small  debt  to  the  dramatist? 

Act  III.  Scene  i.  seems  to  have  been  derived  from  the 


Preface  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Amphitnio  of  Platus  ;  in  the  Latin  comedy  Mercury  keeps 
the  real  i\mphitruo  out  of  his  own  house,  while  Jupiter, 
the  sham  Amphitruo,  is  within  with  Alcemna,  the  real 
Amphitruo's  wife. 

The  introduction  of  the  twin  Dromios  is  Shakespeare's 
own  device ;  and  all  the  pathos  of  the  play  is  his  :  there  is 
nothing  in  the  Latin  original  suggestive  of  ^geon's 
touching  story  at  the  opening  of  the  play, — in  Platus,  the 
father  of  the  twins  is  already  dead,  and  there  is  no  reunion 
of  husband,  wife,  and  children. 

The  Unities.  In  spite,  however,  of  this  romanticising 
of  Plautus,  Shakespeare  has  maintained  throughout  the 
play  the  hallowed  unities  of  time  and  place,  "  the  neces- 
sary companions,"  according  to  Academic  criticism,  "  of 
all  corporal  actions."  From  this  point  of  view  The  Com- 
edy of  Errors  may  be  regarded  as  the  final  triumph  of  the 
New  Romantic  Drama  over  its  opponents ;  it  carried  the 
warfare  into  the  enemy's  camp,  and  scored  the  signal  vic- 
tory of  harmonising  Old  and  New, — the  conventional 
canons  of  Latin  Comedy  and  the  pathos  of  Romanticism. 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Critical  Comments. 
I. 

Argument. 

I,  JEgeon,  a  merchant  of  Syracuse,  is  condemned  to 
death,  in  default  of  ransom,  by  the  Duke  of  Ephesus  for 
bringing  traffic  into  the  Ephesian  port.  Being  requested 
by  the  Duke  to  give  the  cause  of  his  visit  to  a  hostile  city, 
the  prisoner  states  that  he  is  on  a  quest  for  missing 
members  of  his  family.  Some  years  before,  twin  sons 
had  been  born  to  him  and  his  wife  ^^milia.  At  "  that 
very  hour  and  in  the  selfsame  inn  "  a  poorer  woman  was 
also  dehvered  of  twin  sons,  which  vEgeon  had  "  bought 
and  brought  up  to  attend  "  his  boys.  Shortly  afterward 
the  party  had  suffered  shipwreck  on  a  voyage  to  their 
Syracusian  home.  All  had  been  rescued,  but  the  hus- 
band was  parted  from  the  wife ;  and  the  twin  sons  and 
attendants  were  separated  from  their  respective  counter- 
parts, ^geon,  wdth  his  younger  son  and  servant,  had 
been  conveyed  to  Syracuse,  where  for  eighteen  years 
they  dwelt  without  tidings  of  the  other  three.  Finally 
Antipholus,  his  son,  now  well  grown,  had  set  forth  in 
search  of  them,  while  ^geon  renewed  his  own  quest. 
During  seven  years  father  and  son  had  heard  nothing 
of  each  other  nor  of  the  rest.  All  this  ^geon  tells  the 
Duke  in  explanation  of  his  wanderings.  Touched  by 
the  narrative,  the  Duke  gives  him  further  respite  of  a 
day  in  which  to  seek  ransom. 

Unknown  to  his  father,  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  and  his 
servant  Dromio  are  even  then  visiting  in  Ephesus.  Fur- 
thermore it  so  chances  that  his  brother,   whom  he  has 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

not  found  and  who  is  known  as  Antipholus  of  Ephesus, 
resides  there  in  high  favor  with  the  Duke,  and  wedded 
to  Adriana,  a  woman  of  rank.  Dromio  of  Ephesus  mis- 
takes Antipholus  of  Syracuse  for  his  master  and  dehvers 
a  message  from  Adriana  to  the  effect  that  dinner  is  await- 
ing him. 

II.  The  servant  having  fled  home  beaten  for  his  pains, 
Adriana  herself  arrives  and  persuades  the  bewildered 
Antipholus  of  Syracuse  to  come  to  dinner  with  her;  for 
she  also  is  deceived  as  to  his  identity.  Dromio  of  Syra- 
cuse is  put  on  guard  at  the  gate  with  instructions  to  deny 
admittance  to  visitors  during  the  repast. 

III.  The  real  husband  presently  arrives  at  his  door 
and  is  greatly  astonished  and  incensed  to  find  it  barred 
against  him ;  but  is  persuaded  to  retire  to  a  public  house 
and  bide  his  time.  Meanwhile  the  false  husband  stoutly 
maintains  that  there  is  a  mistake,  and  makes  fair  speeches 
to  Luciana,  sister  of  Adriana,  rather  than  to  Adriana 
herself.  The  two  Dromios  are  suffering  most  of  all  from 
the  comedy  of  errors,  being  continually  confused,  sent  on 
the  wrong  errands  and  getting  beatings  for  their  pains. 

IV.  The  muddle  of  identities  grows  constantly  more 
perplexing  for  both  masters  and  servants.  Tradesmen 
confuse  the  two  Antipholuses.  A  gold  chain  made  for 
the  Ephesian  is  bestowed  upon  the  Syracusian,  and  the 
Ephesian  is  arrested  for  refusing  to  pay  the  debt.  The 
Syracusian  and  his  servant  believe  themselves  bewitched 
and  prepare  for  speedy  departure. 

V.  They  are  forced  to  take  refuge  in  a  priory  from 
the  misguided  merchants  and  Adriana.  The  abbess  pro- 
tects them.  At  this  juncture  the  Duke  arrives  in  com- 
pany w4th  officers  conducting  ^geon  to  his  execution. 
Adriana  demands  from  the  Duke  custody  of  her  husband, 
whom  she  believes  to  be  demented  and  now  sequestered 
in  the  priory.  Charge  and  counter-charge  are  made  by 
conflicting  witnesses  until  the  joint  appearance  of  both 
the  Antipholuses  and  both  the  Dromios  unravels  the 
snarl.     Antipholus    of    Ephesus    is    reconciled   with   his 

6 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

wife.  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  renews  his  suit  with  her 
sister  Luciana.  The  old  ^geon  is  pardoned,  and  to  the 
pleasure  of  greeting  both  his  sons  is  added  the  delight  of 
finding  in  the  person  of  the  abbess  his  long-lost  wife 
Emilia ;  while  the  two  Dromios  in  the  joy  of  meeting 
forget  their  woes  and  blows. 

McSpaddex  :  Shakespearian  Synopses. 

II. 

The  Two  Antipholuses. 

Sedate,  gentle,  loving,  the  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  is 
one  of  Shakspere's  amiable  creations.  He  beats  his  slave 
according  to  the  custom  of  slave-beating;  but  he  laughs 
with  him  and  is  kind  to  him  almost  at  the  same  moment. 
He  is  an  enthusiast,  for  he  falls  in  love  with  Luciana  in 
the  midst  of  his  perplexities,  and  his  lips  utter  some  of 
the  most  exquisite  poetry: — 

"  O,  train  me  not,  sweet  mermaid,  with  thy  note, 

To  drown  me  in  thy  sister's  flood  of  tears; 
Sing,  syren,  for  thyself,  and  I  will  dote  : 

Spread  o'er  the  silver  waves  thy  golden  hairs." 

But  he  is  accustomed  to  habits  of  self-command,  and  he 
resolves  to  tear  himself  away  even  from  the  syren : — 

"  But,  lest  myself  be  guilty  to  self-wrong, 
I  '11  stop  mine  ears  against  the  mermaid's  song." 

As  his  perplexities  increase,  he  ceases  to  be  angry  with 
his  slave : — 

"  The  fellow  is  distract  and  so  am  I ; 
And  here  we  wander  in  illusions : 
Some  blessed  power  deliver  us  from  hence." 

Unlike  the  Mensechmus  Sosicles  of  Plautus,  he  refuses 
to  dine  with  the  courtesan.  He  is  firm  yet  courageous 
when  assaulted  bv  the  ^lerchant.     When  the  errors  are 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

clearing  up,  he  modestly  adverts  to  his  love  for  Luciana ; 
and  we  feel  that  he  will  be  happy. 

Antipholus  of  Ephesus  is  decidedly  inferior  to  his 
brother,  in  the  quality  of  his  intellect  and  the  tone  of  his 
morals.  He  is  scarcely  justified  in  calling  his  wife 
"  shrewish."  Her  fault  is  a  too  sensitive  affection  for 
him.  Her  feelings  are  most  beautifully  described  in  that 
address  to  her  supposed  husband: — 

"  Come,  I  will  fasten  on  this  sleeve  of  thine : 
Thou  art  an  elm,  my  husband,  I  a  vine  ; 
Whose  weakness,  married  to  thy  stronger  state, 
Makes  me  with  thy  strength  to  communicate: 
If  aught  possess  thee  from  me,  it  is  dross. 
Usurping  ivy,  briar,  or  idle  moss." 

The  classical  image  of  the  elm  and  the  vine  would  have 
been  sufficient  to  express  the  feelings  of  a  fond  and  con- 
fiding woman ;  the  exquisite  addition  of  the 

"  Usurping  ivy,  briar,  or  idle  moss," 

conveys  the  prevailing  uneasiness  of  a  loving  and  doubt- 
ing wife.  Antipholus  of  Ephesus  has  somewhat  hard 
measure  dealt  to  him  throughout  the  progress  of  the 
errors ;  but  he  deserves  it.  His  doors  are  shut  against 
him,  it  is  true;  in  his  impatience  he  would  force  his  way 
into  his  house,  against  the  remonstrances  of  the  good  Bal- 
thazar : — 

"  Your  long  experience  of  her  wisdom, 
Her  sober  virtue,  years,  and  modesty, 
Plead  on  her  part  some  cause  to  you  unknown." 

He  departs,  but  not  "  in  patience  "  ;  he  is  content  to  dine 
from  home,  but  not  at  ''  the  Tiger."     His  resolve — 

*'  That  chain  will  I  bestow 
(Be  it  for  nothing  but  to  spite  my  wife) 
Upon  mine  hostess  " — 

would  not  have  been  made  by  his  brother,  in  a  similar 

8 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

situation.  He  has  spited  his  wife ;  he  has  dined  with  the 
courtesan.     But  he  is  not  satisfied : — 

"  Go  thou 
And  buy  a  rope's  end;  that  will  I  bestow 
Among  my  wife  and  her  confederates." 

We  pity  him  not  when  he  is  arrested,  nor  when  he  re- 
ceives the  "  rope's  end  "  instead  of  his  "  ducats."  His 
furious  passion  with  his  wife,  and  the  foul  names  he  be- 
stows on  her,  are  quite  in  character;    and  when  he  has 

"  Beaten  the  maids  a-row,  and  bound  the  doctor," 

we  cannot  have  a  suspicion  that  the  doctor  was  practising 
on  the  right  patient.  In  a  word,  we  cannot  doubt  that, 
although  the  Antipholus  of  Ephesus  may  be  a  brave  sol- 
dier, who  took  "  deep  scars  "  to  save  his  prince's  life,  and 
that  he  really  has  a  right  to  consider  himself  much  in- 
jured, he  is  strikingly  opposed  to  the  Antipholus  of  Syra- 
cuse ;  that  he  is  neither  sedate,  nor  gentle,  nor  truly  lov- 
ing; that  he  has  no  habits  of  self-command;  that  his 
temperament  is  sensual ;  and  that,  although  the  riddle  of 
his  perplexity  is  solved,  he  will  still  find  causes  of  unhap- 
piness,  and  entertain 

"  a  huge  infectious  troop 
Of  pale  distemperatures." 

Knight:  Pictorial  Shakspere. 

III. 
The  Two  Dromios. 

The  characters  of  the  two  Dromios  are  not  so  dis- 
tinctly marked  in  their  points  of  difference,  at  the  first 
aspect.  They  each  have  their  ''  merry  jests  "  ;  they  each 
bear  a  beating  with  wonderful  good  temper;  they  each 
cling  faithfully  to  their  master's  interests.  But  there  is 
certainly  a  marked  difference  in  the  quality  of  their  mirth. 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

The  Dromio  of  Ephesus  is  precise  and  antithetical,  stri- 
ving to  utter  his  jests  with  infinite  gravity  and  discretion, 
and  approaching  a  pun  with  a  sly  solemnity  that  is  pro- 
digiously diverting: — 

''  The  capon  burns,  the  pig  falls  from  the  spit ; 
The  clock  hath  strucken  twelve  upon  the  bell; 
My  mistress  made  it  one  upon  my  cheek: 
She  is  so  hot,  because  the  meat  is  cold." 

Again : — 

"  I  have  some  marks  of  yours  upon  my  pate, 
Some  of  my  mistress'  marks  upon  my  shoulders. 
But  not  a  thousand  marks  between  you  both." 

He  is  a  formal  humourist,  and,  we  have  no  doubt,  spoke 
with  a  drawling  and  monotonous  accent,  fit  for  his  part 
in  such  a  dialogue  as  this  : — 

Antipholus  of  E.  Were  not  my  doors  lock'd  up,  and  I  shut  out? 

Dromio  of  E.  Perdy,  your  doors  were  lock'd,  and  you  shut  out. 

Antipholus  of  E.  And  did  not  she  herself  revile  me  there? 

Dromio  of  E.  Sans  fable,  she  herself  revil'd  you  there. 

Antipholus  of  E.  Did  not  her  kitchen-maid  rail,  taunt,  and  scorn 
me? 

Dromio  of  E.  Certes,  she  did;  the  kitchen-vestal  scorn'd  you. 

On  the  contrary,  the  ''  merry  jests  "  of  Dromio  of  Syra- 
cuse all  come  from  the  outpouring  of  his  gladsome  heart. 
He  is  a  creature  of  prodigious  animal  spirits,  running 
over  with  fun  and  queer  similitudes.  He  makes  not  the 
slightest  attempt  at  arranging  a  joke,  but  utters  what 
comes  uppermost  with  irrepressible  volubility.  He  is  an 
untutored  wit;  and,  we  have  no  doubt,  gave  his  tongue 
as  active  exercise  by  hurried  pronunciation  and  variable 
emphasis  as  could  alone  make  his  long  descriptions  en- 
durable by  his  sensitive  master.  Look  at  the  dialogue  in 
the  second  scene  of  Act  H.,  where  Antipholus,  after  hav- 
ing repressed  his  jests,  is  drawn  into  a  tilting-match  of 
words  with  him,  in  which  the  merry  slave  has  clearly 
the  victory.  Look,  again,  at  his  description  of  the 
"  kitchen-wench  " — coarse,  indeed,  in  parts,  but  altogether 

10 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

irresistibly  droll.  The  twin  brother  was  quite  incapable 
of  such  a  flood  of  fun.  Again,  what  a  prodigality  of  wit 
is  displayed  in  his  description  of  the  bailiff !  His  epithets 
are  inexhaustible.  Each  of  the  Dromios  is  admirable  in 
his  way ;  but  we  think  that  he  of  Syracuse  is  as  superior 
to  the  twin-slave  of  Ephesus  as  our  old  friend  Launce  is 
to  Speed,  in  the  Tzvo  Gentlemen  of  Verona.  These  dis- 
tinctions between  the  Antipholuses  and  Dromios  have  not, 
as  far  as  we  know,  been  before  pointed  out ;  but  they  cer- 
tainly do  exist,  and  appear  to  us  to  be  defined  by  the 
great  master  of  character  with  singular  force  as  well  as 
delicacy.  Of  course  the  characters  of  the  twins  could 
not  be  violently  contrasted,  for  that  would  have  destroyed 
the  illusion.     They  must  still 

"  Go  hand  in  hand,  not  one  before  another." 

Knight:  Pictorial  Shakspere. 

IV. 

Adriana. 

Adriana,  like  the  wife  of  Mensechmus,  brought  a 
wealthy  dowry  to  her  husband,  and  with  it  the  comple- 
mentary temper  of  excessive  requirements — 

"  My  wife  is  shrewish  when  I  keep  not  hours." 

At  her  first  appearance  she  is  fretful  and  peevish  at  his 
want  of  punctuality,  and  suspicious  of  the  cause,  which, 
in  truth,  as  presently  appears,  was  nothing  more  than  a 
service  and  attention  intended  for  herself — "  to  see  the 
making  of  a  carcanet,"  designed  as  a  present  for  her. 
Her  husband,  on  the  other  hand,  enraged  at  being  so  in- 
explicably shut  out  of  his  own  house,  disregards  the  sober 
counsel  of  Balthazar,  and  is  as  little  practised  as  his  wife 
to  assume  a  reason  and  wait  for  an  explanation,  and 
hastily  revenges  himself  by  making  a  bachelor's  party 
at  the  house  of  the  courtesan;   and  though  the  extra va- 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

gance  is  evidently  as  harmless  as  such  an  imprudence 
might  be;    for, — 

"  I  know  a  wench  of  excellent  discourse, 
Pretty  and  witty,  wild,  and  yet  too,  gentle," 

are  not  the  words  of  a  sensualist,  and  there  is  no  trace 
whatever  of  want  of  affection  on  his  part,  and  we  give 
full  belief  to  his  protestation,  he  still  puts  himself  by  the 
imprudence,  no  less  in  the  wrong  than  his  wife  by  her 
fretfulness,  and  we  are  left  at  liberty  to  enjoy  the  fun 
that  arises  out  of  their  troubles  and  disasters.  Still  Adri- 
ana,  with  all  her  shrewishness,  is  very  affectionate — nay, 
very  amiable,  and  she  gives  an  earnest  of  her  future  im- 
provement in  considerateness,  by  abstaining  from  public 
outbreak  against  her  husband's  hostess.  Her  coolness  in 
this  respect  requires  perhaps  more  explanation  than  it  re- 
ceives, but  that  it  is  accepted  by  us  as  at  once  proof  and 
admission  that  she  had  no  serious  ground  for  complaint, 
and  was  conscious  how  far  she  had  herself  to  blame. 
Lloyd  :  Critical  Essays  on  the  Plays  of  Shakespeare. 


The  wife  herself  and  her  sister  are  studied  with  a  care 
and  minuteness  which  the  action  certainly  did  not  require. 
In  the  change  from  Plautus'  '  Mulier,'  who  rails  at  her 
husband  with  only  too  good  reason,  to  Shakespeare's 
Adriana,  who  torments  him  with  doubts  at  bed  and  board, 
and  is  ready  to  die  in  despair  at  the  loss  of  his  love  be- 
cause he  refuses  to  come  home  to  dinner,  we  see  the 
change  from  pragmatical  to  psychological  drama,  from 
the  comedy  of  intrigue  to  the  comedy  of  character,  of 
which  otherwise  there  is  not  in  this  play  very  much. 

Herford:  The  Eversley  Shakespeare. 

V. 

Aegeon. 

This  drama  of  Shakespeare's  is  much  more  varied, 
rich,  and  interesting  in  its  incidents  than  the  Mencechmi 

12 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

of  Plautus ;  and  while,  in  rigid  adherence  to  the  unities  of 
action,  time,  and  place,  our  Poet  rivals  the  Roman  play, 
he  has  contrived  to  insinuate  the  necessary  previous  in- 
formation for  the  spectator,  in  a  manner  infinitely  more 
pleasing  and  artful  than  that  adopted  by  the  Latin  bard ; 
for  whilst  Plautus  has  chosen  to  convey  it  through  the 
medium  of  a  prologue,  Shakespeare  has  rendered  it  at 
once  natural  and  pathetic  by  placing  it  in  the  mouth  of 
^geon,  the  father  of  the  twin-brothers. 

In  a  play,  of  which  the  plot  is  so  intricate,  occupied  in  a 
great  measure  by  mere  personal  mistakes  and  their  whim- 
sical results,  no  elaborate  development  of  character  can 
be  expected ;  yet  is  the  portrait  of  ^geon  touched  with  a 
discriminative  hand,  and  the  pressure  of  age  and  misfor- 
tune is  so  painted  as  to  throw  a  solemn,  dignified,  and 
impressive  tone  of  colouring  over  this  part  of  the  fable, 
contrasting  well  with  the  lighter  scenes  which  immediately 
follow — a  mode  of  relief  which  is  again  resorted  to  at 
the  close  of  the  drama,  where  the  reunion  of  .'^geon  and 
iEmilia,  and  the  recognition  of  their  children,  produce 
an  interest  in  the  denouement  of  a  nature  more  affecting 
than  the  tone  of  the  preceding  scenes  had  taught  us  to 
expect. 

Drake  :  Shakespeare  and  his  Times. 


The  story  of  ^geon  .  .  .  envelops  the  whole 
comic  plot.  It  is  probably  Shakespeare's  invention,  and 
betrays  the  same  instinct  for  accumulated  effects  and 
drastic  contrasts.  He  had  quadrupled  the  intricacies  of 
the  imbroglio  by  doubling  the  two  lost  Antipholuses  wdth 
a  second  pair  of  twins ;  he  quadruples  the  excitement  of 
the  final  recovery  by  doubling  them  with  a  pair  of  lost 
parents,  who  at  the  same  time  recover  their  children  and 
each  other.  And  the  foreboding  of  tragic  harms  which 
habitually  overhangs  for  a  while  the  early  comedies,  is 
here  graver  and  more  protracted  than  either  in  A  Mid- 
summer-Nigh fs  Dream  or  The  Two  Gentlemen.  Valen- 
tine's banishment  and  Hermia's  destination  to  a  nunnery 

13 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

or  death  arouse  no  serious  suspense;  but  ^geon  is  a 
pathetic  and  moving  figure,  whose  story — a  masterpiece 
of  Shakespeare's  early  narrative — strikes  a  note  at  the 
outset  with  which  the  subsequent  action  is  in  somewhat 
too  marked  dissonance  for  ripe  art. 

Herford  :  The  Eversley  Shakespeare. 

VI. 

Pinch. 

Pinch  the  conjurer  is  also  an  excrescence  not  to  be 
found  in  Plautus.  He  is  indeed  a  very  formidable  an- 
achronism : — 

"  They  brought  one  Pinch,  a  hungry  lean-fac'd  villain, 
A  mere  anatomy,  a  mountebank, 
A  threadbare  juggler,  and  a  fortune-teller, 
A  needy,  hollow-eyed,  sharp-looking  wretch, 
A  living-dead  man." 

This  is  exactly  like  some  of  the  Puritanical  portraits  to 
be  met  with  in  Hogarth. 

Hazlitt:  Characters  of  Shakespear's  Plays, 


Pinch  (whom  we  cannot  afford  to  part  with  for  the 
sake  of  avoiding  the  anachronism  pointed  out  by  Hazlitt 
— who,  by  the  way,  was  himself  too  good  a  judge  of 
excellence  seriously  to  give  up  the  character  on  that 
score)  affords  a  pleasant  instance  of  Shakespeare's  gay 
exaggeration  in  humour;  the  high  spirits  of  an  author 
taking  shape  in  his  writing,  as  it  were.  The  description 
of  the  fellow  is  capital. 

"  This  pernicious  slave, 
Forsooth,  took  on  him  as  a  conjurer; 
And  gazing  in  mine  eyes,  feeling  my  pulse, 
And  with  no  face,  as  't  were,  outfacing  me, 
Cries  out,  I  was  possess'd." 

14 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

That  touch  of  the  ''  no  face  "  sets  the  man,  with  his  atten- 
uated vacant  countenance  and  glaring  eyes,  palpably  be- 
fore us. 
Charles  Cowden  Clarke  :  Shakespeare  Characters. 

VII. 
Proofs  of  Early  Origin. ' 

.  Another  proof  [that  this  is  one  of  the  drama- 
tist's early  plays]  is  the  fresh,  youthful  atmosphere  of 
joke  and  jest  which  pervades  the  whole,  a  naive  pleasure 
in  what  is  jocose  and  laughable  for  its  own  sake,  and 
which,  not  being  yet  burdened  by  the  weight  of  years, 
moves  more  lightly  and  more  on  the  surface  of  things, 
and  without  that  power  and  depth  of  humour  which  dis- 
tinguishes the  poet's  maturer  works.  The  action  is  repre- 
sented more  from  the  side  of  its  outward  form  and  direct 
appearance,  but,  so  to  say,  only  in  coloured  outlines — 
light  and  shade  are  indicated  only  by  gentle  touches — the 
figures  therefore  do  not  stand  out  with  sufficient  fulness 
and  clearness,  there  is  still  a  want  of  sharpness  in  the 
characterisation,  of  clearness  in  the  grouping,  of  dis- 
tinctness in  the  coherency  and  in  the  harmonious  con- 
nection of  the  several  parts  among  one  another.  The 
frequent  occurrence  of  scenes  of  quarrel  and  dispute,  oc- 
casioned by  the  perpetual  errors  and  mistakes,  reminds 
one  of  the  original  and  popular  form  which  comedy  as- 
sumed, and  in  which  it  first  met  with  approbation.  Even 
the  striking  psychological  improbability  that  the  one  of 
the  two  IMenaechmi — Antipholus  of  Syracuse — should  go 
forth  with  the  express  purpose  of  seeking  his  lost  brother, 
and  that,  in  spite  of  all  the  obvious  mistakes  of  his  iden- 
tity with  another  exactly  like  himself,  it  should  never 
occur  to  him  that  he  is  in  the  very  place  where  his  twin- 
brother  had  been  cast — might  be  cited  as  a  proof  of  the 
early  origin  of  the  piece,  were  it  not  so  gross,  so  self- 

15 


Comments  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

evident  that  it  could  not  possibly  have  escaped  the  notice 
of  young  Shakspeare.  This  improbability  is  accordingly 
made  a  characteristic  feature  of  the  piece,  and  points  to  a 
definite  intention  on  the  part  of  the  poet.  Why,  we  have 
to  ask,  why  did  Shakspeare  intentionally  ignore  this  im- 
probability? Why  did  he  not  give  the  journey  of  An- 
tipholus  to  Ephesus  some  other  motive  ?  Perhaps  because 
he  did  not  consider  it  necessary  in  mere  comedy — where 
all  is  intended  for  pure  fun  and  laughter — to  take  any 
heed  of  things  which  would  only  strike  and  offend  mere 
reflecting  reason,  and  not  at  all  affect  the  poetical  con- 
ception ;  perhaps,  however,  for  another  and  deeper  rea- 
son. 

Ulrici  :  Shakspeare' s  Dramatic  Art. 

VIII. 

A  Legitimate  Farce. 

The  myriad-minded  man,  our,  and  all  men's,  Shake- 
speare, has  in  this  piece  presented  us  with  a  legitimate 
farce  in  exactest  consonance  wuth  the  philosophical  prin- 
ciples and  character  of  farce,  as  distinguished  from  com- 
edy and  from  entertainments.  A  proper  farce  is  mainly 
distinguished  from  comedy  by  the  license  allowed,  and 
even  required,  in  the  fable,  in  order  to  produce  strange  and 
laughable  situations.  The  story  need  not  be  probable,  it 
is  enough  that  it  be  possible.  A  comedy  would  scarcely 
allow  even  the  two  Antipholuses  ;  because,  although  there 
have  been  instances  of  almost  indistinguishable  likeness 
in  two  persons,  yet  these  are  mere  individual  accidents, 
casus  Indentis  natiirce,  and  the  veriim  will  not  excuse  the 
inverisimile.  But  farce  dares  add  the  two  Dromios,  and 
is  justified  in  so  doing  by  the  laws  of  its  end  and  con- 
stitution. In  a  word,  farces  commence  in  a  postulate, 
which  must  be  granted. 

Coleridge:  Notes  and  Lectures  upon  Shakespeare, 

i6 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Comments 

In  this  play  Shakspere  gayly  confronts  improbabilities, 
and  requires  the  spectator  to  accept  them.  He  adds  to  the 
twins  Antipholus  the  twins  Dromio.  If  we  are  in  for 
improbability,  let  us  at  least  be  repaid  for  it  by  fun,  and 
have  that  in  abundance.  Let  the  incredible  become  a 
twofold  incredibility,  and  it  is  none  the  worse.  We  may 
conclude  that,  while  Shakspere  was  ready  to  try  his  hand 
upon  a  farcical  subject,  a  single  experiment  satisfied  him 
that  this  was  not  his  province,  for  to  such  subjects  he 
never  returned. 

DowDEN :  Shakspere, 


Until  I  saw  it  on  the  stage,  (not  mangled  into  an 
opera,)  I  had  not  imagined  the  extent  of  the  mistakes, 
the  drollery  of  them,  their  unabated  continuance,  till,  at 
the  end  of  the  fourth  act,  they  reached  their  climax  with 
the  assistance  of  Dr.  Pinch,  when  the  audience  in  their 
laughter  rolled  about  Hke  waves.  .  .  .  To  the 
strange  contrast  of  grave  astonishment  among  the  actors, 
wrttn±relf  laughable  situations  in  the  eyes  of  the  specta- 
tors, who  are  let  into  the  secret,  is  to  be  ascribed  the 
irresistible  effect. 

Brown:  Shakespeare's  Autobiographical  Poems, 


The  Comedy  of  Errors  not  only  surpasses  the  Me- 
nccchmi  in  the  greater  complexity  of  its  plot,  its  greater 
variety  of  incident,  but  also  in  its  more  generous  treat- 
ment of  human  nature.  Not  that  elaborately  wrought- 
out  characters  are  to  be  sought  in  it ;  for  this,  it  must  be 
remembered,  is  Shakespeare's  most  absolutely  comic,  and 
almost  farcical  play,  and  in  this  particular  class  of  work 
he  never  handled  the  incisive  tool  of  an  engraver,  like 
Moliere — his  pencil  runs  galloping  over  the  canvas  with  a 
light  fantastic  touch  ;  and  this  play  is,  moreover,  one  of  his 
most  youthful  performances. 

Staffer:  Shakespeare  and  Classical  Antiquity, 

17 


The  Comedy  of  Errors. 


DRAMATIS   PERSONAE. 

SoLiNUS^  duke  of  Ephesus. 

^GEON^  a  merchant  of  Syracuse. 

Antipholus  of  Ephesus,     )  twin  brothers  and  sons  to 

Antipholus  of  Syracuse,  )       jEgeon  and  ^tmlia. 

Dromio  of  Ephesus,    )     twin  brothers  and  attendants 

Dromio  of  Syracuse,  J         on  the  two  Antipholuses. 

Balthazar,  a  merchant. 

Angelo,  a  goldsmith. 

First  Merchant,  friend  to  Antipholus  of  Syracuse. 

Second  Merchant,  to  whom  Angela  is  a  debtor. 

Pinch,  a  schoolmaster. 

Emilia,  wife  to  JEgeon,  an  Abbess  at  Ephesus. 
Adrian  A,  wife  to  Antipholus  of  Ephesus. 
LuciANA,  her  sister. 
Luce,  servant  to  Adriana. 
A  Courtezan. 

Gaoler,  Officers,  and  other  Attendants. 


20 


The  Comedy  of  Errors. 

ACT   FIRST. 
Scene  I. 

A  hall  in  the  Duke's  palace. 

Enter  Duke,  ^geon,  Gaoler,  Officers,  and  other 
Attendants. 

Aige.  Proceed,  Solinus,  to  procure  my  fall, 

And  by  the  doom  of  death  end  woes  and  all. 

Duke,  Merchant  of  Syracusa,  plead  no  more; 
I  am  not  partial  to  infringe  our  laws : 
The  enmity  and  discord  which  of  late 
Sprung  from  the  rancorous  outrage  of  your  duke 
To  merchants,  our  well-dealing  countrymen, 
Who,  wanting  guilders  to  redeem  their  lives, 
Have  seal'd  his  rigorous  statutes  with  their  bloods, 
Excludes  all  pity  from  our  threatening  looks.  lo 

For,  since  the  mortal  and  intestine  jars 
'Twixt  thy  seditious  countrymen  and  us, 
It  hath  in  solemn  synods  been  decreed, 
Both  by  the  Syracuslans  and  ourselves, 
To  admit  no  traffic  to  our  adverse  towns : 
Nay,  more. 

If  any  born  at  Ephesus  be  seen 
At  any  Syracusian  marts  and  fairs ; 
Again :  if  any  Syracusian  born 
Come  to  the  bay  of  Ephesus,  he  dies,  20 

21 


Act  I.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

His  goods  confiscate  to  the  duke's  dispose ; 
Unless  a  thousand  marks  be  levied, 
To  quit  the  penalty  and  to  ransom  him. 
Thy  substance,  valued  at  the  highest  rate, 
Cannot  amount  unto  a  hundred  marks ; 
Therefore  by  law  thou  art  condemn' d  to  die. 

^ge.  Yet  this  my  comfort :  when  your  words  are  done, 
My  woes  end  likewise  with  the  evening  sun. 

Duke.  Well,  Syracusian,  say,  in  brief,  the  cause 

Why  thou  departed'st  from  thy  native  home,  30 

And  for  what  cause  thou  camest  to  Ephesus. 

^ge.  A  heavier  task  could  not  have  been  imposed 
Than  I  to  speak  my  griefs  unspeakable : 
Yet,  that  the  world  may  witness  that  my  end 
Was  wrought  by  nature,  not  by  vile  offence, 
I  '11  utter  what  my  sorrow  gives  me  leave. 
In  Syracusa  was  I  born ;  and  wed 
Unto  a  woman,  happy  but  for  me. 
And  by  me,  had  not  our  hap  been  bad. 
With  her  I  lived  in  joy ;  our  wealth  increased         40 
By  prosperous  voyages  I  often  made 
To  Epidamnum  ;  till  my  factor's  death. 
And  the  great  care  of  goods  at  random  left. 
Drew  me  from  kind  embracements  of  my  spouse : 
From  whom  my  absence  was  not  six  months  old, 
Before  herself,  almost  at  fainting  under 
The  pleasing  punishment  that  women  bear. 
Had  made  provision  for  her  following  me. 
And  soon  and  safe  arrived  where  I  was. 
There  had  she  not  been  long  but  she  became  50 

A  joyful  mother  of  two  goodly  sons ; 
And,  which  was  strange,  the  one  so  like  the  other 
22 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  I.  Sc.  i. 

As  could  not  be  distinguish'd  but  by  names. 
That  very  hour,  and  in  the  self-same  inn, 
A  meaner  woman  was  delivered 
Of  such  a  burthen,  male  twins,  both  alike : 
Those,  for  their  parents  were  exceeding  poor, 
I  bought,  and  brought  up  to  attend  my  sons. 
My  wife,  not  meanly  proud  of  two  such  boys. 
Made  daily  motions  for  our  home  return :  60 

Unwilling  I  agreed ;   alas  !   too  soon 
We  came  aboard. 

A  league  from  Epidamnum  had  we  sail'd, 
Before  the  always-wind-obeying  deep 
Gave  any  tragic  instance  of  our  harm : 
But  longer  did  we  not  retain  much  hope ; 
For  what  obscured  light  the  heavens  did  grant 
Did  but  convey  unto  our  fearful  minds 
A  doubtful  warrant  of  immediate  death; 
Which    though    myself    would    gladly    have    em- 
braced, 'JO 
Yet  the  incessant  weepings  of  my  wife. 
Weeping  before  for  what  she  saw  must  come. 
And  piteous  plainings  of  the  pretty  babes. 
That  mourn'd  for  fashion,  ignorant  what  to  fear, 
Forced  me  to  seek  delays  for  them  and  me. 
And  this  it  was,  for  other  means  was  none : 
The  sailors  sought  for  safety  by  our  boat. 
And  left  the  ship,  then  sinking-ripe,  to  us : 
My  wife,  more  careful  for  the  latter-bom, 
Had  fasten'd  him  unto  a  small  spare  mast,  80 
Such  as  seafaring  men  provide  for  storms ; 
To  him  one  of  the  other  twins  was  bound, 
Whilst  I  had  been  like  heedful  of  the  other : 
The  children  thus  disposed,  my  wife  and  I, 

2Z 


Act  I.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Fixing  our  eyes  on  whom  our  care  was  fix'd, 

Fasten'd  ourselves  at  either  end  the  mast; 

And  floating  straight,  obedient  to  the  stream, 

Was  carried  towards  Corinth,  as  we  thought. 

At  length  the  sun,  gazing  upon  the  earth, 

Dispersed  those  vapours  that  offended  us ;  90 

And,  by  the  benefit  of  his  wished  light, 

The  seas  wax'd  calm,  and  we  discovered 

Two  ships  from  far  making  amain  to  us, 

Of  Corinth  that,  of  Epidaurus  this : 

But  ere  they  came, — O,  let  me  say  no  more ! 

Gather  the  sequel  by  that  went  before. 

Duke.  Nay,  forward,  old  man ;   do  not  break  off  so ; 
For  we  may  pity,  though  not  pardon  thee. 

^ge.  O,  had  the  gods  done  so,  I  had  not  now 

Worthily  term'd  them  merciless  to  us !  100 

For,  ere  the  ships  could  meet  by  twice  five  leagues. 

We  were  encounter'd  by  a  mighty  rock; 

Which  being  violently  borne  upon, 

Our  helpful  ship  was  splitted  in  the  midst; 

So  that,  in  this  unjust  divorce  of  us. 

Fortune  had  left  to  both  of  us  alike 

What  to  delight  in,  what  to  sorrow  for. 

Her  part,  poor  soul !    seeming  as  burdened 

With  lesser  weight,  but  not  with  lesser  woe. 

Was  carried  with  more  speed  ^before  the  wind ;        1 10 

And  in  our  sight  they  three  were  taken  up 

By  fishermen  of  Corinth,  as  we  thought. 

At  length,  another  ship  had  seized  on  us ; 

And,  knowing  whom  it  was  their  hap  to  save. 

Gave  healthful  welcome  to  their  shipwreck'd  guests ; 

And  would  have  reft  the  fishers  of  their  prey, 

24 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  I.  Sc.  i. 

Had  not  their  bark  been  very  slow  of  sail ; 
And  therefore  homeward  did  they  bend  their  course. 
Thus  have  you  heard  me  sever'd  from  my  bliss ; 
That  by  misfortunes  was  my  life  prolong'd,  120 

To  tell  sad  stories  of  my  own  mishaps. 
Duke.  And,  for  the  sake  of  them  thou  sorrowest  for, 
Do  me  the  favour  to  dilate  at  full 
What  hath  befall'n  of  them  and  thee  till  now. 
Mge,  My  youngest  boy,  and  yet  my  eldest  care, 
At  eighteen  years  became  inquisitive 
After  his  brother :  and  importuned  me 
That  his  attendant — so  his  case  was  like. 
Reft  of  his  brother,  but  retained  his  name- 
Might  bear  him  company  in  the  quest  of  him :        130 
Whom  whilst  I  labour'd  of  a  love  to  see, 
I  hazarded  the  loss  of  whom  I  loved. 
Five  summers  have  I  spent  in  farthest  Greece, 
Roaming  clean  through  the  bounds  of  Asia, 
And,  coasting  homeward,  came  to  Ephesus  ; 
Hopeless  to  find,  yet  loath  to  leave  unsought 
Or  that,  or  any  place  that  harbours  men. 
But  here  must  end  the  story  o?  my  life ; 
And  happy  were  I  in  my  timely  death, 
Could  all  my  travels  warrant  me  they  live.  140 

Duke.  Hapless  ^geon,  whom  the  fates  have  mark'd 
To  bear  the  extremity  of  dire  mishap ! 
Now,  trust  me,  were  it  not  against  our  laws. 
Against  my  crown,  my  oath,  my  dignity, 
Which  princes,  would  they,  may  not  disannul, 
My  soul  should  sue  as  advocate  for  thee. 
But,  though  thou  art  adjudged  to  the  death, 
And  passed  sentence  may  not  be  recall' d 
25 


Act  I.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

But  to  our  honour's  great  disparagement, 

Yet  will  I  favour  thee  in  what  I  can.  150 

Therefore,  merchant,  I  '11  limit  thee  this  day 

To  seek  thy  help  by  beneficial  help  : 

Try  all  the  friends  thou  hast  in  Ephesus ; 

Beg  thou,  or  borrow,  to  make  up  the  sum. 

And  live;   if  no,  then  thou  art  doom'd  to  die. 

Gaoler,  take  him  to  thy  custody. 

Gaol.  I  will,  my  lord. 

.^ge.  Hopeless  and  helpless  doth  ^geon  wend. 

But  to  procrastinate  his  lifeless  end.  {Exeunt. 


Scene  II. 

The  Mart. 

Enter  Antiphohis  of  Syracuse,  Droniio  of  Syracuse,  and 
First  Merchant. 

First  Mer.  Therefore  give  out  you  are  of  Epidamnum, 
Lest  that  your  goods  too  soon  be  confiscate. 
This  very  day  a  Syracusian  merchant 
Is  apprehended  for  arrival  here; 
And,  not  being  able  to  buy  out  his  life, 
According  to  the  statute  of  the  town. 
Dies  ere  the  weary  sun  set  in  the  west. 
There  is  your  money  that  I  had  to  keep. 

Ant.  S.  Go  bear  it  to  the  Centaur,  where  we  host. 

And  stay  there,  Dromio,  till  I  come  to  thee.  10 

Within  this  hour  it  will  be  dinner-time : 
Till  that,  I  '11  view  the  manners  of  the  town. 
Peruse  the  traders,  gaze  upon  the  buildings, 
And  then  return,  and  sleep  within  mine  inn; 

26 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  I.  Sc.  ii. 

For  with  long  travel  I  am  stiff  and  weary. 
Get  thee  away. 

Dro.  S.  Many  a  man  would  take  you  at  your  word, 

And  go  indeed,  having  so  good  a  mean.  [Exit. 

Ant.  S.  A  trusty  villain,  sir ;    that  very  oft, 

When  I  am  dull  with  care  and  melancholy,  20 

Lightens  my  humour  with  his  merry  jests. 
What,  will  you  walk  with  me  about  the  town, 
And  'then  go  to  my  inn,  and  dine  with  me  ? 

First  Mer.  I  am  invited,  sir,  to  certain  merchants, 
Of  whom  I  hope  to  make  much  benefit ; 
I  crave  your  pardon.     Soon  at  five  o'clock. 
Please  you,  I  '11  meet  with  you  upon  the  mart. 
And  afterward  consort  you  till  bed-time : 
My  present  business  calls  me  from  you  now. 

Ant.  S.  Farewell  till  then :   I  will  go  lose  myself,  30 

And  wander  up  and  down  to  view  the  city. 

First  Mer.  Sir,  I  commend  you  to  your  own  content. 

[Exit. 

Ant,  S.  He  that  commends  me  to  mine  own  content 
Commends  me  to  the  thing  I  cannot  get. 
I  to  the  world  am  like  a  drop  of  water. 
That  in  the  ocean  seeks  another  drop ; 
Who,  falling  there  to  find  his  fellow  forth. 
Unseen,  inquisitive,  confounds  himself: 
So  I,  to  find  a  mother  and  a  brother. 
In  quest  of  them,  unhappy,  lose  myself.  40 

Enter  Dromio  of  Ephesus. 

Here  comes  the  almanac  of  my  true  date. 
What  now  ?  how  chance  thou  art  return'd  so  soon  ? 
Dro.  E.  Return'd  so  soon  !  rather  approach'd  too  late : 

27 


Act  I.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

The  capon  burns,  the  pig  falls  from  the  spit ; 

The  clock  hath  strucken  twelve  upon  the  bell ; 

My  mistress  made  it  one  upon  my  cheek : 

She  is  so  hot,  because  the  meat  is  cold ; 

The  meat  is  cold,  because  you  come  not  home ; 

You  come  not  home,  because  you  have  no  stomach ; 

You  have  no  stomach,  having  broke  your  fast ;        50 

But  we,  that  know  what  'tis  to  fast  and  pray. 

Are  penitent  for  your  default  to-day. 
Ajit.  S.  Stop  in  your  wind,  sir :  tell  me  this,  I  pray : 

Where  have  you  left  the  money  that  I  gave  you  ? 
Dro,  E.  O, — sixpence,  that  I  had  o'  Wednesday  last 

To  pay  the  saddler  for  my  mistress'  crupper? 

The  saddler  had  it,  sir;  I  kept  it  not. 
Ant.  S.  I  am  not  in  a  sportive  humour  now  : 

Tell  me,  and  dally  not,  where  is  the  money? 

We  being  strangers  here,  how  darest  thou  trust    60 

So  great  a  charge  from  thine  own  custody  ? 
Dro.  E.  I  pray  you,  jest,  sir,  as  you  sit  at  dinner: 

I  from  my  mistress  come  to  you  in  post ; 

If  I  return,  I  shall  be  post  indeed. 

For  she  will  score  your  fault  upon  my  pate. 

Methinks  your  maw,  like  mine,  should  be  your  clock, 

And  strike  you  home  without  a  messenger. 
Ant.  S.  Come,  Dromio,  come,  these  jests  are  out  of  sea- 
son; 

Reserve  them  till  a  merrier  hour  than  this. 

Where  is  the  gold  I  gave  in  charge  to  thee  ?  70 

Dro.  E.  To  me,  sir  ?  why,  you  gave  no  gold  to  me ! 
Ant.  S.  Come  on,  sir  knave,  have  done  your  foolishness. 

And  tell  me  how  thou  hast  disposed  thy  charge. 
Dro.  E.  My  charge  was  but  to  fetch  you  from  the  mart 

Home  to  your  house,  the  Phoenix,  sir,  to  dinner : 

28 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  I.  Sc.  ii. 

My  mistress  and  her  sister  stays  for  you. 

Ant.  S,  Now,  as  I  am  a  Christian,  answer  me. 

In  what  safe  place  you  have  bestow'd  my  money ; 
Or  I  shall  break  that  merry  sconce  of  yours. 
That  stands  on  tricks  when  I  am  undisposed :  80 

Where  is  the  thousand  marks  thou  had'st  of  me? 

Dro.  E.  I  have  some  marks  of  yours  upon  my  pate, 
Some  of  my  mistress'  marks  upon  my  shoulders ; 
But  not  a  thousand  marks  between  you  both. 
If  I  should  pay  your  worship  those  again. 
Perchance  you  will  not  bear  them  patiently. 

Ant.  S.  Thy  mistress'  marks  ?   what  mistress,  slave,  hast 
thou? 

Dro.  E.  Your  worship's  wife,  my  mistress  at  the  Phoenix  ; 
She  that  doth  fast  till  you  come  home  to  dinner, 
And  prays  that  you  will  hie  you  home  to  dinner.    90 

Ant.  S.  What,  wilt  thou  flout  me  thus  unto  my  face. 
Being  forbid?     There,  take  you  that,  sir  knave. 

Dro.  E.  What  mean  you,  sir  ?   for  God's  sake,  hold  your 
hands ! 
Nay,  an  you  will  not,  sir,  I  '11  take  my  heels.      [Exit. 

Ant.  S.  Upon  my  life,  by  some  device  or  other 
The  villain  is  o'er-raught  of  all  my  money. 
They  say  this  town  is  full  of  cozenage ; 
As,  nimble  jugglers  that  deceive  the  eye. 
Dark-working  sorcerers  that  change  the  mind, 
Soul-killing  witches  that  deform  the  body,  100 

.      Disguised  cheaters,  prating  mountebanks, 
And  many  such-like  liberties  of  sin : 
If  it  prove  so,  I  will  be  gone  the  sooner. 
I  '11  to  the  Centaur,  to  go  seek  this  slave : 
I  greatly  fear  my  money  is  not  safe.  [Exit, 

29 


Act  II.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

ACT  SECOND. 
Scene  I. 

Whe  house  of  Antipholns  of  Ephesus. 
Enter  Adriana  and  Luciana. 

Adr,  Neither  my  husband  nor  the  slave  return'd, 
That  in  such  haste  I  sent  to  seek  his  master ! 
Sure,  Luciana,  it  is  two  o'clock. 

Luc.  Perhaps  some  merchant  hath  invited  him. 

And  from  the  mart  he  's  somewhere  gone  to  dinner. 

Good  sister,  let  us  dine,  and  never  fret : 

A  man  is  master  of  his  liberty: 

Time  is  their  master ;   and  when  they  see  time. 

They  '11  go  or  come :  if  so,  be  patient,  sister. 

Adr.  Why  should  their  liberty  than  ours  be  more?        lo 

Luc.  Because  their  business  still  lies  out  o'  door. 

Adr.  Look,  when  I  serve  him  so,  he  takes  it  ill. 

Luc.  O,  know  he  is  the  bridle  of  your  will. 

Adr.  There  's  none  but  asses  will  be  bridled  so. 

Luc.  Why,  headstrong  liberty  is  lash'd  with  woe. 
There  's  nothing  situate  under  heaven's  eye 
But  hath  his  bound,  in  earth,  in  sea,  in  sky : 
The  beasts,  the  fishes,  and  the  winged  fowls. 
Are  their  males'  subjects  and  at  their  controls: 
Men  more  divine,  the  masters  of  all  these,  20 

Lords  of  the  wide  world  and  wild  watery  seas, 
Indued  with  intellectual  sense  and  souls. 
Of  more  pre-eminence  than  fish  and  fowls, 
Are  masters  to  their  females,  and  their  lords : 
Then  let  your  will  attend  on  their  accords. 

30 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  II.  Sc.  i. 

Adr.  This  servitude  makes  you  to  keep  unwed. 

Luc.  Not  this,  but  troubles  of  the  marriage-bed. 

Adr.  But,  were  you  wedded,  you  would  bear  some  sway. 

Luc,  Ere  I  learn  love,  I  '11  practice  to  obey. 

Adr.  How  if  your  husband  start  some  other  where?      30 

Luc.  Till  he  come  home  again,  I  would  forbear. 

Adr,  Patience  unmoved !  no  marvel  though  she  pause ; 
They  can  be  meek  that  have  no  other  cause. 
A  wretched  soul,  bruised  with  adversity, 
We  bid  be  quiet  when  we  hear  it  cry; 
But  were  we  burden'd  with  like  weight  of  pain. 
As  much,  or  more,  we  should  ourselves  complain : 
So  thou,  that  hast  no  unkind  mate  to  grieve  thee, 
With  urging  helpless  patience  wouldst  relieve  me ; 
But,  if  thou  live  to  see  like  right  bereft,  40 

This  fool-begg'd  patience  in  thee  will  be  left. 

Luc.  Well,  I  will  marry  one  day,  but  to  try. 

Here  comes  your  man ;  now  is  your  husband  nigh. 

Enter  Droniio  of  Ephesus. 

Adr.  Say,  is  your  tardy  master  now  at  hand? 

Dro.  E.  Nay,  he  's  at  two  hands  with  me,  and  that 

my  two  ears  can  witness. 
Adr.  Say,  didst  thou  speak  with  him?   know'st  thou  his 

mind? 
Dro.  E.  Ay,  ay,  he  told  his  mind  upon  mine  ear : 

Beshrew  his  hand,  I  scarce  could  understand  it. 
Luc.  Spake  he  so  doubtfully,  thou  couldst  not  feel     50 

his  meaning? 
Dro.  E.  Nay,  he  struck  so  plainly,  I  could  too  well 

feel  his  blows;   and  withal  so  doubtfully,  that  I^ 

could  scarce  understand  them. 

31 


Act  II.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Adr.  But  say,  I  prithee,  is  he  coming  home? 

It  seems  he  hath  great  care  to  please  his  wife. 

Dro.  E.  Why,  mistress,  sure  my  master  is  horn-mad. 

Adr.  Horn-mad,  thou  villain! 

Dro.  E.  I  mean  not  cuckold-mad ; 

But,  sure,  he  is  stark  mad. 

When  I  desired  him  to  come  home  to  dinner,  60 

He  ask'd  me  for  a  thousand  marks  in  gold: 
'  'Tis  dinner-time,'  quoth  I ;   '  My  gold  !  '  quoth  he : 
'  Your    meat    doth    burn,'    quoth    I ;     '  My    gold !  ' 

quoth  he : 
'  Will    you    come    home  ?  '     quoth  I ;     '  My    gold ! ' 
quoth  he: 

*  Where  is  the  thousand  marks  I  gave  thee,  villain  ? ' 

*  The    pig,'    quoth   I,    '  is    burn'd  ' ;     '  My    gold ! ' 

quoth  he: 

*  My  mistress,  sir,'  quoth  I ;   '  Hang  up  thy  mistress ! 
I  know  not  thy  mistress ;   out  on  thy  mistress ! ' 

Luc.  Quoth  who? 

Dro.  E.  Quoth  my  master :  70 

'  I  know,'  quoth  he,  ^  no  house,  no  wife,  no  mistress.* 
So  that  my  errand,  due  unto  my  tongue, 
I  thank  him,  I  bare  home  upon  my  shoulders ; 
For,  in  conclusion,  he  did  beat  me  there. 

Adr.  Go  back  again,  thou  slave,  and  fetch  him  home. 

Dro.  E.  Go  back  again,  and  be  new  beaten  home? 
For  God's  sake,  send  some  other  messenger. 

Adr.  Back,  slave,  or  I  will  break  thy  pate  across. 

Dro.  E.  And  he  will  bless  that  cross  with  other  beating : 
Between  you  I  shall  have  a  holy  head.  80 

Adr,  Hence,  prating  peasant !   fetch  thy  master  home. 

Dro.  E.  Am  I  so  round  with  you  as  you  with  me, 

32 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  II.  Sc.  i. 

That  like  a  football  you  do  spurn  me  thus? 
You  spurn  me  hence,  and  he  will  spurn  me  hither : 
If  I  last  in  this  service,  you  must  case  me  in  leather. 

[Exit, 

Luc.  Fie,  how  impatience  loureth  in  your  face! 

Adr.  His  company  must  do  his  minions  grace, 
Whilst  I  at  home  starve  for  a  merry  look. 
Hath  homely  age  the  alluring  beauty  took 
From  my  poor  cheek  ?  then  he  hath  wasted  it :      90 
Are  my  discourses  dull?   barren  my  wit? 
If  voluble  and  sharp  discourse  be  marr'd, 
Unkindness  blunts  it  more  than  marble  hard: 
Do  their  gay  vestments  his  affections  bait? 
That 's  not  my  fault ;  he  's  master  of  my  state: 
What  ruins  are  in  me  that  can  be  found 
By  him  not  ruin'd?  then  is  he  the  ground 
Of  my  defeatures.     My  decayed  fair 
A  sunny  look  of  his  would  soon  repair: 
But,  too  unruly  deer,  he  breaks  the  pale,  lOO 

And  feeds  from  home;   poor  I  am  but  his  stale. 

Luc.  Self -harming  jealousy!   fie,  beat  it  hence! 

Adr.  Unfeeling  fools  can  with  such  wrongs  dispense. 
I  know  his  eye  doth  homage  otherwhere; 
Or  else  what  lets  it  but  he  would  be  here? 
Sister,  you  know  he  promised  me  a  chain ; 
Would  that  alone,  alone  he  would  detain, 
So  he  would  keep  fair  quarter  with  his  bed ! 
I  see  the  jewel  best  enamelled 

Will  lose  his  beauty;   yet  the  gold  bides  still,        no 
That  others  touch,  and  often  touching  will 
Wear  gold:   and  no  man  that  hath  a  name. 
By  falsehood  and  corruption  doth  it  shame. 

33 


Act  II.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Since  that  my  beauty  cannot  please  his  eye, 
I  '11  weep  what 's  left  away,  and  weeping  die. 
Luc,  How  many  fond  fools  serve  mad  jealousy!  [Exeunt. 

Scene  II. 

A  public  place. 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Syracuse. 

Ant.  S.  The  gold  I  gave  to  Dromio  is  laid  up 
Safe  at  the  Centaur ;  and  the  heedful  slave 
Is  wander'd  forth,  in  care  to  seek  me  out 
By  computation  and  mine  host's  report. 
I  could  not  speak  with  Dromio  since  at  first 
I  sent  him  from  the  mart.     See,  here  he  comes. 

Enter  Dromio  of  Syracuse. 

How  now,  sir !   is  your  merry  humour  alter'd  ? 

As  you  love  strokes,  so  jest  with  me  again. 

You  know  no  Centaur?  you  received  no  gold? 

Your  mistress  sent  to  have  me  home  to  dinner?     lo 

My  house  was  at  the  Phoenix?     Wast  thou  mad. 

That  thus  so  madly  thou  didst  answer  me  ? 
Dro.  S.  What  answer,  sir  ?  when  spake  I  such  a  word  ? 
Ant.  S.  Even  now,  even  here,  not  half  an  hour  since. 
Dro.  S.  I  did  not  see  you  since  you  sent  me  hence, 

Home  to  the  Centaur,  with  the  gold  you  gave  me. 
Ant.  S.  Villain,  thou  didst  deny  the  gold's  receipt, 

And  told'st  me  of  a  mistress  and  a  dinner ; 

For  which,  I  hope,  thou  felt'st  I  was  displeased. 
Dro.  S.  I  am  glad  to  see  you  in  this  merry  vein  :  20 

What  means  this  jest?  I  pray  you,  master,  tell  me. 
Ant.  S.  Yea,  dost  thou  jeer  and  flout  me  in  the  teeth? 

34 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  II.  Sc.  ii. 

Think'st  thou   I   jest?     Hold,  take  thou   that,   and 
that.  [Beating  him. 

Dro.S,  Hold,  sir,  for  God's  sake!   now  your  jest  is  ear- 
nest: 
Upon  what  bargain  do  you  give  it  me  ? 

AnL  S.  Because  that  I  familiarly  sometimes 

Do  use  you  for  my  fool,  and  chat  with  you, 
Your  sauciness  will  jest  upon  my  love, 
And  make  a  common  of  my  serious  hours. 
When  the  sun  shines  let  foolish  gnats  make  sport,  30 
But  creep  in  crannies  when  he  hides  his  beams. 
If  you  will  jest  with  me,  know  my  aspect. 
And  fashion  your  demeanour  to  my  looks. 
Or  I  will  beat  this  method  in  your  sconce. 

Dro.  S.  Sconce  call  you  it  ?  so  you  would  leave  bat- 
tering, I  had  rather  have  it  a  head :  an  you  use 
these  blows  long,  I  must  get  a  sconce  for  my 
head,  and  insconce  it  too;  or  else  I  shall  seek 
my  wit  in  my  shoulders.  But,  I  pray,  sir,  why 
am  I  beaten?  40 

Ant.  S.  Dost  thou  not  know  ? 

Dro.  S.  Nothing,  sir,  but  that  I  am  beaten. 

Ant.  S.  Shall  I  tell  you  why? 

Dro.  S.  Ay,  sir,  and  wherefore ;   for  they  say  every  why 
hath  a  wherefore. 

Ant.  S.  Why,  first, — for  flouting  me;    and  then,  where- 
fore,— 
For  urging  it  the  second  time  to  me. 

Dro.  S.  Was  there  ever  any  man  thus  beaten  out  of  sea- 
son, 
When  in  the  why  and  the  wherefore  is  neither  rhyme 

nor  reason? 
Well,  sir,  I  thank  you.  50 

A7it.  S.  Thank  me,  sir!   for  what? 

35 


Act  II.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Dro.  S.  Marry,  sir,  for  this  something  that  you  gave 

me  for  nothing. 
Ant  S.  I  '11  make  you  amends  next,  to  give  you  noth- 
ing for  something.     But  say,  sir,  is  it  dinner- 
time? 
Dro,  S.  No,  sir :   I  think  the  meat  wants  that  I  have. 
Ant.  S.  In  good  time,  sir ;   what 's  that  ? 
Dro.  S.  Basting. 

Ant.  S.  Well,  sir,  then  'twill  be  dry. 

Dro.  S.  If  it  be,  sir,  I  pray  you,  eat  none  of  it.  60 

Ant.  S.  Your  reason  ? 
Dro.  S.  Lest  it  make  you  choleric,  and  purchase  me 

another  dry  basting. 
Ant.  S.  Well,  sir,  learn  to  jest  in  good  time:  there  's 

a  time  for  all  things. 
Dro.  S.  I  durst  have  denied  that,  before  you  were  so 

choleric. 
Ant.  S.  By  what  rule,  sir  ? 
Dro.  S.  Marry,  sir,  by  a  rule  as  plain  as  the  plain 

bald  pate  of  father  Time  himself.  70 

Ant.  S.  Let 's  hear  it. 
Dro.  S.  There  's  no  time  for  a  man  to  recover  his 

hair  that  grows  bald  by  nature. 
Ant.  S.  May  he  not  do  it  by  fine  and  recovery? 
Dro.  S.  Yes,  to  pay  a  fine  for  a  periwig,  and  recover 

the  lost  hair  of  another  man. 
Ant.  S.  Why  is  Time  such  a  niggard  of  hair,  being, 

as  it  is,  so  plentiful  an  excrement? 
Dro,  S.  Because  it  is  a  blessing  that  he  bestows  on 

beasts :   and  what  he  hath  scanted  men  in  hair,     80 

he  hath  given  them  in  wit. 
Ant.  S.  Why,  but  there  's  many  a  man  hath  more 

hair  than  wit. 

21^ 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  II.  Sc.  ii. 

Dro.  S.  Not  a  man  of  those  but  he  hath  the  wit  to 
lose  his  hair. 

Ant.  S.  Why,  thou  didst  conclude  hairy  men  plain 
dealers  without  wit. 

Dro.  S.  The  plainer  dealer,  the  sooner  lost :  yet  he 
loseth  it  in  a  kind  of  jollity. 

Ant.  S.  For  what  reason  ?  90 

Dro.  S.  For  two ;  and  sound  ones  too. 

Ant.  S.  Nay,  not  sound,  I  pray  you. 

Dro.  S.  Sure  ones,  then. 

Ant.  S.  Nay,  not  sure,  in  a  thing  falsing. 

Dro.  S.  Certain  ones,  then. 

Ant.  S.  Name  them. 

Dro.  S.  The  one,  to  save  the  money  that  he  spends  in 
tiring ;  the  other,  that  at  dinner  they  should  not 
drop  in  his  porridge. 

Ant.  S.  You  would  all  this  time  have  proved  there  is  100 
no  time  for  all  things. 

Dro.  S.  Marry,  and  did,  sir ;  namely,  no  time  to  re- 
cover hair  lost  by  nature. 

Ant.  S.  But  your  reason  was  not  substantial,  why 
there  is  no  time  to  recover. 

Dro.  S.  Thus  I  mend  it :  Time  himself  is  bald,  and 
therefore  to  the  world's  end  will  have  bald  fol- 
lowers. 

Ant.  S.  I  knew  'twould  be  a  bald  conclusion : 

But,  soft!   who  wafts  us  yonder?  no 

Enter  Adriana  and  Luciana. 

Adr.  Ay,  ay,  Antipholus,  look  strange  and  frown : 
Some  other  mistress  hath  thy  sweet  aspects ; 
I  am  not  Adriana,  nor  thy  wife. 

37 


Act  II.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

The  time  was  once  when  thou  unurged  wouldst  vow 
That  never  words  were  music  to  thine  ear, 
That  never  object  pleasing  in  thine  eye, 
That  never  touch  well  welcome  to  thy  hand, 
That  never  meat  sweet-savour'd  in  thy  taste, 
Unless  I  spake,  or  look'd,  or  touch' d,  or  carved  to 

thee. 
How  comes  it  now,  my  husband,  O,  how  comes  it. 
That  thou  art  thus  estranged  from  thyself?         121 
Thyself  I  call  it,  being  strange  to  me. 
That,  undividable,  incorporate, 
Am  better  than  thy  dear  selfs  better  part. 
Ah,  do  not  tear  away  thyself  from  me ! 
For  know,  my  love,  as  easy  mayst  thou  fall 
A  drop  of  water  in  the  breaking  gulf, 
And  take  unmingled  thence  that  drop  again. 
Without  addition  or  diminishing, 
As  take  from  me  thyself,  and  not  me  too.  130 

How  dearly  would  it  touch  thee  to  the  quick, 
Shouldst  thou  but  hear  I  were  licentious. 
And  that  this  body,  consecrate  to  thee. 
By  ruffian  lust  should  be  contaminate! 
Wouldst  thou  not  spit  at  me  and  spurn  at  me. 
And  hurl  the  name  of  husband  in  my  face. 
And  tear  the  stain'd  skin  off  my  harlot-brow. 
And  from  my  false  hand  cut  the  wedding-ring, 
And  break  it  with  a  deep-divorcing  vow  ? 
I  know  thou  canst ;  and  therefore  see  thou  do  it.  140 
I  am  possess'd  with  an  adulterate  blot ; 
My  blood  is  mingled  with  the  crime  of  lust : 
For  if  we  two  be  one,  and  thou  play  false, 
I  do  digest  the  poison  of  thy  flesh, 
38 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  II.  Sc.  ii. 

Being  strumpeted  by  thy  contagion. 

Keep,  then,  fair  league  and  truce  with  thy  true  bed ; 

I  live  distain'd,  thou  undishonoured. 

Ant.  S.  Plead  you  to  me,  fair  dame?   I  know  you  not: 
In  Ephesus  I  am  but  two  hours  old. 
As  strange  unto  your  town  as  to  your  talk ;  150 

Who,  every  word  by  all  my  wit  being  scann'd, 
Wants  wit  in  all  one  word  to  understand. 

Luc.  Fie,  brother !  how  the  world  is  changed  with  you ! 
When  were  you  wont  to  use  my  sister  thus  ? 
She  sent  for  you  by  Dromio  home  to  dinner. 

Ant.  S.  By  Dromio? 

Dro.  S.  By  me  ? 

Adr.  By  thee ;   and  this  thou  didst  return  from  him, 
That  he  did  buffet  thee,  and,  in  his  blows, 
Denied  my  house  for  his,  me  for  his  wife.  160 

Ant.  S.  Did  you  converse,  sir,  with  this  gentlewoman? 
What  is  the  course  and  drift  of  your  compact? 

Di'o.  S.  I,  sir  ?     I  never  saw  her  till  this  time. 

Ant.  S.  Villain,  thou  liest ;    for  even  her  very  words 
Didst  thou  deliver  to  me  on  the  mart. 

Dro.  S.  I  never  spake  with  her  in  all  my  life. 

Ant.  S.  How  can  she  thus  then  call  us  by  our  names? 
Unless  it  be  by  inspiration. 

Adr.  How  ill  agrees  it  with  your  gravity 

To  counterfeit  thus  grossly  with  your  slave,         170 

Abetting  him  to  thwart  me  in  my  mood ! 

Be  it  my  wrong  you  are  from  me  exempt, 

But  wrong  not  that  wrong  with  a  more  contempt. 

Come,  I  will  fasten  on  this  sleeve  of  thine : 

Thou  art  an  elm,  my  husband,  I  a  vine. 

Whose  weakness,  married  to  thy  stronger  state, 

39 


Act  II.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Makes  me  with  thy  strength  to  communicate: 

If  aught  possess  thee  from  me,  it  is  dross, 

Usurping  ivy,  brier,  or  idle  moss; 

Who,  all  for  want  of  pruning,  with  intrusion        i8o 

Infect  thy  sap,  and  live  on, thy  confusion. 
Ant.  S.  To  me  she  speaks  ;   she  moves  me  for  her  theme : 

What,  was  I  married  to  her  in  my  dream  ? 

Or  sleep  I  now,  and  think  I  hear  all  this  ? 

What  error  drives  our  eyes  and  ears  amiss? 

Until  I  know  this  sure  uncertainty, 

I  '11  entertain  the  offer'd  fallacy. 
Luc,  Dromio,  go  bid  the  servants  spread  for  dinner. 
Dro,  S.  O,  for  my  beads !     I  cross  me  for  a  sinner. 

This  is  the  fairy  land :  O  spite  of  spites !  190 

We  talk  with  goblins,  owls,  and  sprites: 

If  we  obey  them  not,  this  will  ensue. 

They  '11  suck  our  breath,  or  pinch  us  black  and  blue. 
Luc.  Why  pratest  thou  to  thyself,  and  answer'st  not? 

Dromio,  thou  drone,  thou  snail,  thou  slug,  thou  sot! 
Dro.  S.  I  am  transformed,  master,  am  not  I  ? 
Ant.  S.  I  think  thou  art  in  mind,  and  so  am  I. 
Dro.  S.  Nay,  master,  both  in  mind  and  in  my  shape. 
Ajit.  S.  Thou  hast  thine  own  form. 
Dro,  S.  No,  I  am  an  ape. 

Luc.  If  thou  art  changed  to  aught,  'tis  to  an  ass.  200 

Dro.  S.  'Tis  true ;   she  rides  me,  and  I  long  for  grass. 

'Tis  so,  I  am  an  ass ;   else  it  could  never  be 

But  I  should  know  her  as  well  as  she  knows  me. 
A  dr.  Come,  come,  no  longer  will  I  be  a  fool. 

To  put  the  finger  in  the  eye  and  weep, 

Whilst  man  and  master  laughs  my  woes  to  scorn. 

Come,  sir,  to  dinner.     Dromio,  keep  the  gate. 
40 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  i. 

Husband,  I  '11  dine  above  with  you  to-day, 

And  shrive  you  of  a  thousand  idle  pranks. 

Sirrah,  if  any  ask  you  for  your  master,  210 

Say  he  dines  forth,  and  let  no  creature  enter. 

Come,  sister.     Dromio,  play  the  porter  well. 
Ant.  S.  Am  I  in  earth,  in  heaven,  or  in  hell  ? 

Sleeping  or  waking?   mad  or  well-advised? 

Known  unto  these,  and  to  myself  disguised! 

I  '11  say  as  they  say,  and  persever  so. 

And  in  this  mist  at  all  adventures  go. 
Dro.  S.  Master,  shall  I  be  porter  at  the  gate  ? 
Adr.  Ay;  and  let  none  enter,  lest  I  break  your  pate.    219 
Luc.  Come,  come,  Antipholus,  we  dine  too  late. 

[Exeunt, 

ACT  THIRD. 
Scene  I. 

Before  the  house  of  Antipholus  of  Ephesus. 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Ephesus,  Dromio  of  Ephesus,  An- 
gelo,  and  Balthazar. 

Ant.  E.  Good  Signior  Angelo,  you  must  excuse  us  all; 
My  wife  is  shrewish  when  I  keep  not  hours : 
Say  that  I  linger'd  with  you  at  your  shop 
To  see  the  making  of  her  carcanet. 
And  that  to-morrow  you  will  bring  it  home. 
But  here  's  a  villain  that  would  face  me  down ; 
He  met  me  on  the  mart,  and  that  I  beat  him, 
And  charged  him  with  a  thousand  marks  in  gold, 
And  that  I  did  deny  my  wife  and  house.  9 

Thou  drunkard,  thou,  what  didst  thou  mean  by  this  ? 

Dro.  E.  Say  what  you  will,  sir,  but  I  know  what  I  know ; 

41 


Act  III.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

That  you  beat  me  at  the  mart,  I  have  your  hand  to 

show: 
If  the  skin  wer-e  parchment,  and  the  blows  you  gave 

were  ink. 
Your  own  handwriting  would  tell  you  what  I  think. 
Ant.  E.  I  think  thou  art  an  ass. 

Dro,  E.  Marry,  so  it  doth  appear 

By  the  wrongs  I  suffer,  and  the  blows  I  bear. 
I  should  kick,  being  kick'd ;   and,  being  at  that  pass. 
You  would  keep  from  my  heels,  and  beware  of  an  ass. 
Ant.  E.  You  're  sad,  Signior  Balthazar :    pray  God,  our 
cheer 
May  answer  my  good  will  and  your  good  welcome 
here.  20 

Bal.  I  hold  your  dainties  cheap,  sir,  and  your  welcome 

dear. 
Ant.  E.  O,  Signior  Balthazar,  either  at  flesh  or  fish, 

A  table  full  of  welcome  makes  scarce  one  dainty  dish. 
Bed.  Good  meat,  sir,  is  common :  that  every  churl  affords. 
Ant.  E.  And  welcome  more  common ;   for  that 's  nothing 

but  words. 

Bal.  Small  cheer  and  great  welcome  makes  a  merry  feast. 

Ant.  E.  Ay,  to  a  niggardly  host  and  more  sparing  guest: 

But  though  my  cates  be  mean,  take  them  in  good  part ; 

Better  cheer  may  you  have,  but  not  with  better  heart. 

But,  soft !  my  door  is  lock'd. — Go  bid  them  let  us  in. 

Dro.  E.  Maud,  Bridget,  Marian,  Cicely,  Gillian,  Ginn ! 

Dro.S.    [Within^    Mome,    malt-horse,    capon,  coxcomb, 

idiot,  patch !  32 

Either  get  thee  from  the  door,  or  sit  down  at  the  hatch. 

Dost  thou  conjure  for  wenches,  that  thou  call'st  for 

such  store, 
When  one  is  one  too  many?     Go  get  thee  from  the 
door. 

42 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  i. 

Dro.E.  What  patch   is   made  our  porter?     My  master 

stays  in  the  street. 
Dro.S.    [Within^   Let  him  walk  from  whence  he  came, 

lest  he  catch  cold  on  's  feet. 
Ant.  E.  Who  talks  within  there?  ho,  open  the  door! 
Dro.S.    [Within]   Right,    sir;     I'll    tell    you    when,    an 

you  '11  tell  me  wherefore. 
Ant.  E.  Wherefore?    for  my  dinner:    I  have  not  dined 

to-day.  40 

Dro.S.    [Within]    Nor  to-day  here  you  must  not;    come 

again  when  you  may. 
Ant.  E.  W^hat  art  thou   that  keepest  me  out   from   the 

house  I  owe? 
Dro.  S.    [Within]   The  porter  for  this  time,  sir,  and  my 

name  is  Dromio. 
Dro.  E.  O  villain,  thou  hast  stolen  both  mine  office  and 

my  name! 
The  one  ne'er  got  me  credit,  the  other  mickle  blame. 
If  thou  hadst  been  Dromio  to-day  in  my  place, 
Thou  wouldst  have  changed  thy  face  for  a  name,  or 

thy  name  for  an  ass. 
Luce.    [Within]   What  a  coil  is  there,  Dromio?   who  are 

those  at  the  gate! 
Dro.  E.  Let  my  master  in.  Luce. 
Luce.  [Within]   'Faith,  no;   he  comes  too  late; 

And  so  tell  your  master. 
Dro.  E.  O  Lord,  I  must  laugh !      50 

Have  at  you  with  a  proverb ; — Shall  I  set  in  my  staff  ? 
Luce.   [Within]   Have   at   you   with   another;    that's, — 

When?  can  you  tell? 
Dro.S.   [Within]   If   thy   name   be   call'd    Luce, — Luce, 

thou  hast  answer'd  him  well. 

43 


Act  III.  Sc.  1.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Ant.  E.  Do  you  hear,  you  minion ?  you  '11  let  us  in,  I  hope? 
Luce.    [Within]   I  thought  to  have  ask'd  you. 
Dro.  S.  [Within]   And  you  said  no. 

Dro.  E.  So,  come,  help :  well  struck !   there  was  blow  for 

blow. 
Ant.  E.  Thou  baggage,  let  me  in.  * 

Luce.  [Within]   Can  you  tell  for  whose  sake? 

Dro.  E.  Master,  knock  the  door  hard. 
Luce.  [Within]   Let  him  knock  till  it  ache. 

Ant.  E.  You'll  cry  for  this,  minion,  if  I  beat  the  door 

down. 
Luce.    [Within]   What  needs  all  that,  and  a  pair  of  stocks 

in  the  town  ?  60 

Adr.    [Within]   Who  is  that  at  the  door  that  keeps  all  this 

noise? 
Dro.  S.    [Within]   By  my  troth,   your  town  is  troubled 

with  unruly  boys. 
Ant.  E.  Are  you  there,  wife  ?  you  might  have  come  before. 
Adr.    [Within]  Your  wife,  sir  knave!    go  get  you  from 

the  door. 
Dro.  E.  If  you  went  in  pain,  master,  this  '  knave  '  would 

go  sore. 
Aug.  Here  is  neither  cheer,  sir,  nor  welcome :   we  would 

fain  have  either. 
Bal.  In   debating  which   was   best,   we   shall   part   with 

neither. 
Dro.  E.  They  stand  at  the  door,  master ;    bid  them  wel- 
come hither. 
Ant,  E.  There  is  something  in  the  wind,  that  we  cannot 

get  in. 
Dro,  E.  You  would  say  so,  master,  if  your  garments  were 

thin.  70 

Your  cake  here  is  warm  within;    you  stand  here  in 

the  cold : 

44 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  i. 

It  would  make  a  man  mad  as  a  buck,  to  be  so  bought 
and  sold. 
Ant.  E,  Go  fetch  me  something :   I  '11  break  ope  the  gate. 
Dro.S.   [Within']   Break    any    breaking    here,    and    I'll 

break  your  knave's  pate. 
Dro.  E.  A  man  may  break  a  word  with  you,  sir ;    and 
words  are  but  wind ; 
Ay,  and  break  it  in  your  face,  so  he  break  it  not 
behind. 
Dro.S.   [Within]   It  seems  thou  want'st  breaking:    out 

upon  thee,  hind ! 
Dro.  E.  Here  's  too  much  '  out  upon  thee ! '    I  pray  thee, 

let  me  in. 
Dro.  S.   [Within]   Ay,  when  fowls  have  no  feathers,  and 

fish  have  no  fin. 
Ant.  E.  Well,  I  '11  break  in  :  go  borrow  me  a  crow.       80 
Dro.  E,  A  crow  without  feather?     Master,  mean  you  so? 
For  a  fish  without  a  fin,  there's  a  fowl  without  a 

feather : 
If  a  crow  help  us  in,  sirrah,  we  '11  pluck  a  crow  to- 
gether. 
Ant.  E.  Go  get  thee  gone ;   fetch  me  an  iron  crow. 
Bal.  Have  patience,  sir :   O,  let  it  not  be  so ! 
Herein  you  war  against  your  reputation. 
And  draw  within  the  compass  of  suspect 
The  unviolated  honour  of  your  wife. 
Once  this, — your  long  experience  of  her  wisdom, 
Her  sober  virtue,  years,  and  modesty,  90 

Plead  on  her  part  some  cause  to  you  unknown ; 
And  doubt  not,  sir,  but  she  will  well  excuse 
Why  at  this  time  the  doors  are  made  against  you. 
Be  ruled  by  me :   depart  in  patience, 
And  let  us  to  the  Tiger  all  to  dinner ; 

45 


Act  III.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

And  about  evening  come  yourself  alone 

To  know  the  reason  of  this  strange  restraint. 

If  by  strong  hand  you  offer  to  break  in 

Now  in  the  stirring  passage  of  the  day, 

A  vulgar  comment  will  be  made  of  it,  loo 

And  that  supposed  by  the  common  rout 

Against  your  yet  ungalled  estimation. 

That  may  with  foul  intrusion  enter  in, 

And  dwell  upon  your  grave  when  you  are  dead ; 

For  slander  lives  upon  succession, 

For  ever  housed  where  it  gets  possession. 

Ant,  E,  You  have  prevail' d :  I  will  depart  in  quiet, 
And,  in  despite  of  mirth,  mean  to  be  merry. 
I  know  a  wench  of  excellent  discourse, 
Pretty  and  witty;   wild,  and  yet,  too,  gentle:        no 
There  will  we  dine.     This  woman  that  I  mean, 
My  wife — but,  I  protest,  without  desert — 
Hath  oftentimes  upbraided  me  withal : 
To  her  wilHve  to  dinner.      [To  Ang.'\   Get  you  home, 
And  fetch  the  chain ;  by  this  I  know  'tis  made : 
Bring  it,  I  pray  you,  to  the  Porpentine ; 
For  there  's  the  house :  that  chain  will  I  bestow — 
Be  it  for  nothing  but  to  spite  my  wife — 
Upon  mine  hostess  there :   good  sir,  make  haste. 
Since  mine  own  doors  refuse  to  entertain  me,         120 
I  '11  knock  elsewhere,  to  see  if  they  '11  disdain  me. 

Ang,  I  '11  meet  you  at  that  place  some  hour  hence. 

Ant.  E.  Do  so.     This  jest  shall  cost  me  some  expense. 

[Exeunt, 


46 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  ii. 

Scene  II. 

The  same. 
Enter  Luciana,  with  Antipholiis  of  Syracuse. 

Luc.  And  may  it  be  that  you  have  quite  forgot 

A  husband's  office  ?  shall,  Antipholus, 
Even  in  the  spring  of  love,  thy  love-springs  rot  ? 

Shall  love,  in  building,  grow  so  ruinous  ? 
If  you  did  wed  my  sister  for  her  wealth, 

Then  for  her  wealth's  sake  use  her  with  more  kind- 
ness; 
Or  if  you  like  elsewhere,  do  it  by  stealth ; 

Muffle  your  false  love  with  some  show  of  blind- 
ness: 
Let  not  my  sister  read  it  in  your  eye ; 

Be  not  thy  tongue  thy  own  shame's  orator;         lo 
Look  sweet,  speak  fair,  become  disloyalty; 

Apparel  vice  like  virtue's  harbinger ; 
Bear  a  fair  presence,  though  your  heart  be  tainted ; 

Teach  sin  the  carriage  of  a  holy  saint ; 
Be  secret-false:   what  need  she  be  acquainted? 

What  simple  thief  brags  of  his  own  attaint? 
'Tis  double  wrong,  to  truant  with  your  bed, 

And  let  her  read  it  in  thy  looks  at  board : 
Shame  hath  a  bastard  fame,  well  managed; 

111  deeds  are  doubled  with  an  evil  word.  20 

Alas,  poor  women !   make  us  but  believe. 

Being  compact  of  credit,  that  you  love  us  ; 
Though  others  have  the  arm,  show  us  the  sleeve ; 

We  in  your  motion  turn,  and  you  may  move  us. 
Then,  gentle  brother,  get  you  in  again ; 

Comfort  my  sister,  cheer  her,  call  her  wife; 
'Tis  holy  sport,  to  be  a  little  vain. 

When  the  sweet  breath  of  flattery  conquers  strife. 

47 


Act  III.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Ant.  S.  Sweet  mistress, — what  your  name  is  else,  I  know 
not. 
Nor  by  what  wonder  you  do  hit  of  mine, —  30 

Less  in  your  knowledge  and  your  grace  you  show 
not 
Than  our  earth's  wonder ;  more  than  earth  divine. 
Teach  me,  dear  creature,  how  to  think  and  speak ; 

Lay  open  to  my  earthly-gross  conceit, 
Smother'd  in  errors,  feeble,  shallow,  weak, 

The  folded  meaning  of  your  words'  deceit. 
Against  my  soul's  pure  truth  why  labour  you 

To  make  it  wander  in  an  unknown  field? 
Are  you  a  god  ?   would  you  create  me  new  ? 

Transform  me,  then,  and  to  your  power  I  '11  yield. 
•    But  if  that  I  am  I,  then  well  I  know  41 

Your  weeping  sister  is  no  wife  of  mine, 
Nor  to  her  bed  no  homage  do  I  owe : 

Far  more,  far  more  to  you  do  I  decline. 
O,  train  me  not,  sweet  mermaid,  with  thy  note, 

To  drown  me  in  thy  sister's  flood  of  tears : 
Sing,  siren,  for  thyself,  and  I  will  dote : 

Spread  o'er  the  silver  waves  thy  golden  hairs, 
Afid  as  a  bed  I  '11  take  them,  and  there  lie ; 

And,  in  that  glorious  supposition,  think  50 

He  gains  by  death  that  hath  such  means  to  die : 
Let  Love,  being  light,  be  drowned  if  she  sink! 
Luc,  What,  are  you  mad,  that  you  do  reason  so? 
Ant.  S.  Not  mad,  but  mated ;  how,  I  do  not  know. 
Luc.  It  is  a  fault  that  springeth  from  your  eye. 
Ant.  S,  For  gazing  on  your  beams,  fair  sun,  being  by. 
Luc,  Gaze  where  you  should,  and  that  will  clear  your 

sight. 
Ant,  S,  As  good  to  wink,  sweet  love,  as  look  on  night. 

48 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  ii. 

Luc.  Why  call  you  me  love?  call  my  sister  so. 

Ant.  S.  Thy  sister's  sister. 

Luc.  That 's  my  sister. 

Ant.S.  No;  60 

It  is  thyself,  mine  own  self's  better  part. 
Mine  eye's  clear  eye,  my  dear  heart's  dearer  heart, 
My  food,  my  fortune,  and  my  sweet  hope's  aim. 
My  sole  earth's  heaven,  and  my  heaven's  claim. 

Luc.  All  this  my  sister  is,  or  else  should  be. 

Ant.  S.  Call  thyself  sister,  sweet,  for  I  am  thee. 
Thee  will  I  love,  and  with  thee  lead  my  life: 
Thou  hast  no  husband  yet,  nor  I  no  wife. 
Give  me  thy  hand. 

Luc.  O,  soft,  sir !  hold  you  still : 

I  '11  fetch  my  sister,  to  get  her  good  will.     [Exit.     70 

Enter  Dromio  of  Syracuse, 

Ant.  S.  Why,  how  now,  Dromio !  where  runn'st  thou 
so  fast? 

Dro.  S.  Do  you  know  me,  sir  ?  am  I  Dromio  ?  am  I 
your  man  ?   am  I  myself  ? 

Ant.  S.  Thou  art  Dromio,  thou  art  my  man,  thou  art 
thyself. 

Dro.  S.  I  am  an  ass,  I  am  a  woman's  man,  and  be- 
sides myself. 

Ant.  S.  What  woman's  man  ?   and  how  besides  thy- 
self? 

Dro.  S.  Marry,  sir,  besides  myself,  I  am  due  to  a     80 
woman  ;  one  that  claims  me,  one  that  haunts  me, 
one  that  will  have  me. 

Ant.  S.  What  claim  lays  she  to  thee? 

Dro,  S.  Marry,  sir,  such  claim  as  you  would  lay  to 
your  horse ;  and  she  would  have  me  as  a  beast : 

49 


Act  III.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

not  that,  I  being  a  beast,  she  would  have  me; 
but  that  she,  being  a  very  beastly  creature,  lays 
claim  to  me. 

Ant.  S.  What  is  she  ? 

Dro.  S.  A  very  reverent  body ;   ay,  such  a  one  as  a     90 
man   may  not   speak   of,   without   he   say   Sir- 
reverence.     I  have  but  lean  luck  in  the  match, 
and  yet  she  is  a  wondrous  fat  marriage. 

Ant.  S.  How  dost  thou  ipean  a  fat  marriage? 

Dro.  S.  Marry,  sir,  she  's  the  kitchen-wench,  and  all 
grease ;  and  I  know  not  what  use  to  put  her  to, 
but  to  make  a  lamp  of  her,  and  run  from  her  by 
her  own  light.  I  warrant,  her  rags,  and  the 
tallow  in  them,  will  burn  a  Poland  winter:  if 
she  lives  till  doomsday,  she  '11  burn  a  week  100 
longer  than  the  whole  world. 

Ant.  S,  What  complexion  is  she  of  ? 

Dro.  S.  Swart,  like  my  shoe,  but  her  face  nothing 
like  so  clean  kept :  for  why  she  sweats ;  a  man 
may  go  over  shoes  in  the  grime  of  it. 

Ant.  S.  That 's  a  fault  that  water  will  mend. 

Dro.  S.  No,  sir,  'tis  in  grain ;  Noah's  flood  could  not 
do  it. 

Ant.  S.  What 's  her  name? 

Dro.  S.  Nell,  sir;   but  her  name  and  three  quarters,   no 
that 's  an  ell  and  three  quarters,  will  not  measure 
her  from  hip  to  hip. 

Ant.  S.  Then  she  bears  some  breadth? 

Dro.  S.  No  longer  from  head  to  foot  than  from  hip 
to  hip:  she  is  spherical,  like  a  globe;  I  could 
find  out  countries  in  her. 

Ant.  S.  In  what  part  of  her  body  stands  Ireland? 

50 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  III.  Sc.  ii. 

Dro.  S.  Marry,  sir,  in  her  buttocks ;  I  found  it  out 
by  the  bogs. 

Ant.S.  Where  Scotland?  •  120 

Dro.  S.  I  found  it  by  the  barrenness ;  hard  in  the 
palm  of  the  hand. 

Ant.S.  Where  France? 

Dro.  S.  In  her  forehead ;  armed  and  reverted,  ma- 
king war  against  her  heir. 

Ant.S.  Where  England? 

Dro.  S.  I  looked  for  the  chalky  cliffs,  but  I  could  find 
no  whiteness  in  them;  but  I  guess  it  stood  in 
her  chin,  by  the  salt  rheum  that  ran  between 
France  and  it.  130 

Ant.  S.  Where  Spain  ? 

Dro.  S.  'Faith,  I  saw  it  not ;  but  I  felt  it  hot  in  her 
breath. 

Ant.  S.  Where  America,  the  Indies? 

Dro.  S.  Oh,  sir,  upon  her  nose,  all  o'er  embellished 
with  rubies,  carbuncles,  sapphires,  declining 
their  rich  aspect  to  the  hot  breath  of  Spain ; 
who  sent  whole  armadoes  of  caracks  to  be 
ballast  at  her  nose. 

Ant.S.  Where  stood  Belgia,  the  Netherlands?  140 

Dro.  S.  Oh,  sir,  I  did  not  look  so  low.  To  con- 
clude, this  drudge,  or  diviner,  laid  claim  to  me; 
called  me  Dromio ;  swore  I  was  assured  to  her ; 
told  me  what  privy  marks  I  had  about  me,  as, 
the  mark  of  my  shoulder,  the  mole  in  my  neck, 
the  great  wart  on  my  left  arm,  that  I,  amazed, 
ran  from  her  as  a  witch : 

And,  I  think,  if  my  breast  had  not  been  made  of 
faith,  and  my  heart  of  steel, 

51 


Act  III.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

She  had  transform'd  me  to  a  curtal  dog,  and 
made  me  turn  i'  the  wheel. 

Ant.  S.  Go  hie  thee  presently,  post  to  the  road:  150 

An  if  the  wind  blow  any  way  from  shore, 
I  will  not  harbour  in  this  town  to-night : 
If  any  bark  put  forth,  come  to  the  mart, 
Where  I  will  walk  till  thou  return  to  me. 
If  every  one  knows  us,  and  we  know  none, 
'Tis  time,  I  think,  to  trudge,  pack,  and  be  gone. 

Dro.  S.  As  from  a  bear  a  man  would  run  for  life, 

So  fly  I  from  her  that  would  be  my  wife.  [Exit. 

Ant.  S,  There  's  none  but  witches  do  inhabit  here ; 

And  therefore  'tis  high  time  that  I  were  hence.     160 
She  that  doth  call  me  husband,  even  my  soul 
Doth  for  a  wife  abhor.     But  her  fair  sister, 
Possess'd  with  such  a  gentle  sovereign  grace, 
Of  such  enchanting  presence  and  discourse, 
Hath  almost  made  me  traitor  to  myself : 
But,  lest  myself  be  guilty  to  self-wrong, 
I  '11  stop  mine  ears  against  the  mermaid's  song. 

Enter  Angela  with  the  chain. 

Ang.  Master  Antipholus, — 

Ant.  S.  Ay,  that 's  my  name. 

Ang.  I  know  it  well,  sir:   lo,  here  is  the  chain. 

I  thought  to  have  ta'en  you  at  the  Porpentine :        170 
The  chain  unfinish'd  made  me  stay  thus  long. 

Ant.  S.  What  is  your  will  that  I  shall  do  with  this  ? 

Ang.  What  please  yourself,  sir :   I  have  made  it  for  you. 

Ant.  S.  Made  it  for  me,  sir !   I  bespoke  it  not. 

Ang.  Not  once,  nor  twice,  but  twenty  times  you  have. 
Go  home  with  it,  and  please  your  wife  withal ; 

52 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  i. 

And  soon  at  supper-time  I  '11  visit  you, 
And  then  receive  my  money  for  the  chain. 

Ant,  S.  I  pray  you,  sir,  receive  the  money  now, 

For  fear  you  ne'er  see  chain  nor  money  more.      i8o 

Ang.  You  are  a  merry  man,  sir :   fare  you  well.        [Exit. 

Ant.  S.  What  I  should  think  of  this,  I  cannot  tell : 
But  this  I  think,  there  's  no  man  is  so  vain 
That  would  refuse  so  fair  an  offer'd  chain. 
I  see  a  man  here  needs  not  live  by  shifts. 
When  in  the  streets  he  meets  such  golden  gifts. 
I  '11  to  the  mart,  and  there  for  Dromio  stay : 
If  any  ship  put  out,  then  straight  away.  [Exit. 


ACT   FOURTH. 
Scene  I. 

A  public  place. 
Enter  Second  Merchant,  Angela,  and  an  Officer. 

Sec.  Mer.  You  know  since  Pentecost  the  sum  is  due. 
And  since  I  have  not  much  importuned  you ; 
Nor  now  I  had  not,  but  that  I  am  bound 
To  Persia,  and  want  guilders  for  my  voyage: 
Therefore  make  present  satisfaction. 
Or  I  '11  attach  you  by  this  officer. 

Ang.  Even  just  the  sum  that  I  do  owe  to  you 
Is  growing  to  me  by  Antipholus ; 
And  in  the  instant  that  I  met  with  you 
He  had  of  me  a  chain :  at  five  o'clock  lo 

I  shall  receive  the  money  for  the  same. 
Pleaseth  you  walk  with  me  down  to  his  house, 
I  will  discharge  my  bond,  and  thank  you  too. 

53 


Act  IV.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Ephesiis  and  Dromio  of  Ephesus 
from  the  courtesan's. 

Off.  That  labour  may  you  save:  see  where  he  comes. 

Ant,  E.  While  I  go  to  the  goldsmith's  house,  go  thou 
And  buy  a  rope's  end :  that  will  I  bestow 
Among  my  wife  and  her  confederates, 
For  locking  me  out  of  my  doors  by  day. 
But,  soft !   I  see  the  goldsmith.     Get  thee  gone  ; 
Buy  thou  a  rope,  and  bring  it  home  to  me.  20 

Dro,  E,  I  buy  a  thousand  pound  a  year :   I  buy  a  rope. 

[Exit, 

Ant.  E,  A  man  is  well  holp  up  that  trusts  to  you : 
I  promised  your  presence  and  the  chain ; 
But  neither  chain  nor  goldsmith  came  to  me. 
Belike  you  thought  our  love  would  last  too  long, 
If  it  were  chain'd  together,  and  therefore  came  not. 

Ang.  Saving  your  merry  humour,  here  's  the  note 

How  much  your  chain  weighs  to  the  utmost  carat. 
The  fineness  of  the  gold,  and  chargeful  fashion, 
Which  doth  amount  to  three  odd  ducats  more        30 
Than  I  stand  debted  to  this  gentleman : 
I  pray  you,  see  him  presently  discharged. 
For  he  is  bound  to  sea,  and  stays  but  for  it. 

Ant.  E.  I  am  not  furnish'd  with  the  present  money ; 
Besides,  I  have  some  business  in  the  town. 
Good  signior,  take  the  stranger  to  my  house, 
And  with  you  take  the  chain,  and  bid  my  wife 
Disburse  the  sum  on  the  receipt  thereof : 
Perchance  I  will  be  there  as  soon  as  you. 

Ang.  Then  you  will  bring  the  chain  to  her  yourself?     40 

Ant.  E.  No ;    bear   it   with   you,   lest   I   come   not  time 
enough. 

54 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  i. 

Ang.  Well,  sir,  I  will.     Have  you  the  chain  about  you  ? 
Ant.  E.  An  if  I  have  not,  sir,  I  hope  you  have ; 

Or  else  you  may  return  without  your  money. 
Ang.  Nay,  come,  I  pray  you,  sir,  give  me  the  chain : 

Both  wind  and  tide  stays  for  this  gentleman, 

And  I,  to  blame,  have  held  him  here  too  long. 
Ant.  E.  Good  Lord!   you  use  this  dalliance  to  excuse 

Your  breach  of  promise  to  the  Porpentine. 

I  should  have  chid  you  for  not  bringing  it,  50 

But,  like  a  shrew,  you  first  begin  to  brawl. 
Sec.  Mer.  The  hour  steals  on ;  I  pray  you,  sir,  dispatch. 
Ang.  You  hear  how  he  importunes  me ; — the  chain  ! 
Ant.  E.  Why,  give  it  to  my  wife,  and  fetch  your  money. 
Ang.  Come,  come,  you  know  1  gave  it  you  even  now. 

Either  send  the  chain,  or  send  me  by  some  token. 
Ant.  E.  Fie,  now  you  run  this  humour  out  of  breath. 

Come,  where  's  the  chain  ?     I  pray  you,  let  me  see  it. 
Sec.  Mer.  My  business  cannot  brook  this  dalliance. 

Good  sir,  say  whether  you  '11  answer  me  or  no :        60 

If  not  I  '11  leave  him  to  the  officer. 
Ant.  E.  I  answer  you !   what  should  I  answer  you? 
Aug.  The  money  that  you  owe  me  for  the  chain. 
Ant.  E.  I  owe  you  none  till  I  receive  the  chain. 
Ang.  You  know  I  gave  it  you  half  an  hour  since. 
Ant.  E.  You  gave  me  none :   you  wrong  me  much  to  say 

so. 
Ang.  You  wrong  me  more,  sir,  in  denying  it: 

Consider  how  it  stands  upon  my  credit. 
Sec.  Mer.  Well,  officer,  arrest  him  at  my  suit. 
Off.  I  do;    and  charge  you  in  the  duke's  name  to  obey 
me.  70 

Ang.  This  touches  me  in  reputation. 

Either  consent  to  pay  this  sum  for  me, 

Or  I  attach  you  by  this  officer. 

55 


Act  IV.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Ant.  E.  Consent  to  pay  thee  that  I  never  had ! 

Arrest  me,  fooHsh  fellow,  if  thou  darest. 
Aug.  Here  is  thy  fee ;  arrest  him,  officer. 

I  would  not  spare  my  brother  in  this  case, 

If  he  should  scorn  me  so  apparently. 
Off,  I  do  arrest  you,  sir :  you  hear  the  suit. 
Ant.  E.  I  do  obey  thee  till  I  give  thee  bail.  80 

But,  sirrah,  you  shall  buy  this  sport  as  dear 

As  all  the  metal  in  your  shop  will  answer. 
Ang.  Sir,  sir,  I  shall  have  law  in  Ephesus, 

To  your  notorious  shame ;   I  doubt  it  not. 

Enter  Droniio  of  Syracuse,  from  the  hay. 

Dro.  S.  Master,  there  is  a  bark  of  Epidamnum 
That  stays  but  till  her  owner  comes  aboard. 
And  then,  sir,  she  bears  away.     Our  fraughtage,  sir, 
I  have  convey'd  aboard ;   and  I  have  bought 
The  oil,  the  balsamum,  and  aqua-vitae. 
The  ship  is  in  her  trim  ;   the  merry  wind  90 

Blows  fair  from  land :  they  stay  for  nought  at  all 
But  for  their  owner,  master,  and  yourself. 

Ant.  E,  How   now !     a    madman !     Why,    thou    peevish 
sheep. 
What  ship  of  Epidamnum  stays  for  me? 

Dro.  S.  A  ship  you  sent  me  to,  to  hire  waftage. 

Ant.  E.  Thou  drunken  slave,  I  sent  thee  for  a  rope. 
And  told  thee  to  what  purpose  and  what  end. 

Dro.  S.  You  sent  me  for  a  rope's  end  as  soon : 
You  sent  me  to  the  bay,  sir,  for  a  bark. 

Ant.  E.  I  will  debate  this  matter  at  more  leisure,  100 

And  teach  your  ears  to  list  me  with  more  heed. 
To  Adriana,  villain,  hie  thee  straight : 
Give  her  this  key,  and  tell  her,  in  the  desk 

56 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  ii. 

That 's  cover'd  o'er  with  Turkish  tapestry 
There  is  a  purse  of  ducats ;   let  her  send  it : 
Tell  her  I  am  arrested  in  the  street, 
And  that  shall  bail  me :  hie  thee,  slave,  be  gone ! 
On,  officer,  to  prison  till  it  come. 
[Exeunt  Sec.  Merchant,  Angela,  Officer,  and  Ant.  E. 
Dro.  S.  To  Adriana !   that  is  where  we  dined, 

Where  Dowsabel  did  claim  me  for  her  husband:  no 
She  is  too  big,  I  hope,  for  me  to  compass. 
Thither  I  must,  although  against  my  will. 
For  servants  must  their  masters'  minds  fulfil.     {Exit, 

Scene  II. 

The  house  of  Antipholus  of  Ephestis, 
Enter  Adriana  and  Luciana. 

Adr.  Ah,  Luciana,  did  he  tempt  thee  so? 

Mightst  thou  perceive  austerely  in  his  eye 

That  he  did  plead  in  earnest  ?  yea  or  no  ? 
Look'd  he  or  red  or  pale,  or  sad  or  merrily? 

What  observation  madest  thou,  in  this  case, 

Of  his  heart's  meteors  tilting  in  his  face? 
Luc.  First  he  denied  you  had  in  him  no  right. 
Adr.  He  meant  he  did  me  none ;  the  more  my  spite. 
Luc.  Then  swore  he  that  he  was  a  stranger  here. 
Adr.  And    true    he    swore,    though    yet    foresworn    he 
were.  lo 

Luc.  Then  pleaded  I  for  you. 
Adr.  And  what  said  he? 

Luc.  That  love  I  begg'd  for  you  he  begg'd  of  me. 
Adr.  With  what  persuasion  did  he  tempt  thy  love? 
Luc.  With  words  that  in  an  honest  suit  might  move, 

First  he  did  praise  my  beauty,  then  my  speech. 

57 


Act  IV.  Sc.  ii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Adr,  Didst  speak  him  fair? 

Luc.  Have  patience,  I  beseech. 

Adr.  I  cannot,  nor  I  will  not,  hold  me  still; 

My  tongue,  though  not  my  heart,  shall  have  his  will. 

He  is  deformed,  crooked,  old,  and  sere. 

Ill-faced,  worse  bodied,  shapeless  everywhere ;        20 

Vicious,  ungentle,  foolish,  blunt,  unkind ; 

Stigmatical  in  making,  worse  in  mind. 
Luc.  Who  would  be  jealous,  then,  of  such  a  one? 

No  evil  lost  is  wail'd  when  it  is  gone. 
Adr,  Ah,  but  I  think  him  better  than  I  say. 

And  yet  would  herein  others'  eyes  were  worse. 

Far  from  her  nest  the  lapwing  cries  away : 

My  heart  prays  for  him,  though  my  tongue  do 
curse. 

Enter  Dromio   of  Syracuse. 

Dro.  S.  Here !    go ;    the   desk,   the  purse !    sweet,   now, 

make  haste. 
Luc.  How  hast  thou  lost  thy  breath? 
Dro.  S.  By  running  fast.     30 

Adr.  Where  is  thy  master,  Dromio?   is  he  well? 
Dro.  S.  No,  he  's  in  Tartar  limbo,  worse  than  hell. 
A  devil  in  an  everlasting  garment  hath  him ; 
One  whose  hard  heart  is  button'd  up  with  steel ; 
A  fiend,  a  fury,  pitiless  and  rough ; 
A  wolf,  nay,  worse ;   a  fellow  all  in  buflf ; 
A  back-friend,  a  shoulder-clapper,  one  that  counter- 
mands 
The  passages  of  alleys,  creeks,  and  narrow  lands; 
A  hound  that  runs  counter,  and  yet  draws  dry-foot 

well ; 
One  that,  before  the  Judgement,  carries  poor  souls 
to  hell.  40 

58 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  ii. 

Adr,  Why,  man,  what  is  the  matter? 
Dro.  S.  I  do  not  know  the  matter :  he  is  'rested  on  the  case. 
Adr.  What,  is  he  arrested?     Tell  me  at  whose  suit. 
Dro.  S.  I  know  not  at  whose  suit  he  is  arrested  well  ; 

But  he  's  in  a  suit  of  buff  which  'rested  him,  that  can 

I  tell. 
Will  you  send  him,  mistress,  redemption,  the  money 
in  his  desk? 
Adr.  Go  fetch  it,  sister.      [Exit  Luciana.]     This  I  won- 
der at. 
That  he,  unknown  to  me,  should  be  in  debt. 
Tell  me,  was  he  arrested  on  a  band? 
Dro.  S.  Not  on  a  band,  but  on  a  stronger  thing ;  50 

A  chain,  a  chain !     Do  you  not  hear  it  ring  ? 
Adr.  What,  the  chain  ? 
Dro.  S.  No,  no,  the  bell :  'tis  time  that  I  were  gone : 

It  was  two  ere  I  left  him,  and  now  the  clock  strikes 
one. 
Adr.  The  hours  come  back!   that  did  I  never  hear. 
Dro.  S.  O,  yes ;    if  any  hour  meet  a  sergeant,  'a  turns 

back  for  very  fear. 
Adr.  As  if  Time  were  in  debt!    how  fondly  dost  thou 

reason ! 
Dro.  S.  Time  is  a  very  bankrupt,  and  owes  more  than 
he  's  worth  to  season. 
Nay,  he  's  a  thief  too :  have  you  not  heard  men  say, 
That  Time  comes  stealing  on  by  night  and  day?     60 
If  Time  be  in  debt  and  theft,  and  a  sergeant  in  the 

way. 
Hath  he  not  reason  to  turn  back  an  hour  in  a  day  ? 

Re-enter  Luciana  zvith  a  purse. 

Adr.  Go,  Dromio ;   there  's  the  money,  bear  it  straight ; 
And  bring  thy  master  home  immediately. 

59 


Act  IV.  Sc.  iii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Come,  sister :  I  am  press'd  down  with  conceit, — 
Conceit,  my  comfort  and  my  injury.  [Exeunt, 

Scene  III. 

A  public  place. 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Syracuse. 

Ant.  S.  There  's  not  a  man  I  meet  but  doth  salute  me 
As  if  I  were  their  well-acquainted  friend ; 
And  every  one  doth  call  me  by  my  name. 
Some  tender  money  to  me ;   some  invite  me ; 
Some  other  give  me  thanks  for  kindnesses ; 
Some  offer  me  commodities  to  buy : 
Even  now  a  tailor  call'd  me  in  his  shop. 
And  show'd  me  silks  that  he  had  bought  for  me, 
And  therewithal  took  measure  of  my  body. 
Sure,  these  are  but  imaginary  wiles,  lo 

And  Lapland  sorcerers  inhabit  here. 

Enter  Dromio  of  Syracuse. 

Dro.  S.  Master,  here  's  the  gold  you  sent  me  for. 

What,  have  you  got  the  picture  of  old  Adam 

new-apparelled  ? 
Ant.  S.  What  gold  is  this  ?  what  Adam  dost  thou  mean  ? 
Dro.  S.  Not  that  Adam  that  kept  the  Paradise,  but 

that  Adam  that  keeps  the  prison  :  he  that  goes  in 

the  calf's  skin  that  was  killed  for  the  Prodigal ; 

he  that  came  behind  you,  sir,  like  an  evil  angel, 

and  bid  you  forsake  your  liberty.  20 

Ant.  S.  I  understand  thee  not. 
Dro.  S.  No  ?    why,  'tis  a  plain  case :    he  that  went, 

like  a  base-viol,  in  a  case  of  leather;   the  man, 
60 


COMEDY  or  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  iii. 

sir,  that,  when  gentlemen  are  tired,  gives  them 
a  sob  and  'rests  them;    he,  sir,  that  takes  pity 
on  decayed  men,  and  gives  them  suits  of  du- 
rance;  he  that  sets  up  his  rest  to  do  more  ex- 
ploits with  his  mace  than  a  morris-pike. 
Ant.  S.  What,  thou  meanest  an  officer  ? 
Dro.  S.  Ay,  sir,  the  sergeant  of  the  band ;    he  that     30 
brings   any  man  to  answer  it  that  breaks  his 
band ;    one  that  thinks  a  man  always  going  to 
bed,  and  says,  '  God  give  you  good  rest !  ' 
Ant.  S.  Well,  sir,  there  rest  in  your  foolery.    Is  there 
any  ship  puts  forth  to-night?   may  we  be  gone? 
Dro.  S.  Why,  sir,  I  brought  you  word  an  hour  since, 
'that   the  bark   Expedition   put   forth   to-night; 
and  then  were  you  hindered  by  the  sergeant,  to 
tarry  for  the  hoy  Delay.     Here  are  the  angels 
that  you  sent  for  to  deliver  you.  40 

Ant.  S.  The  fellow  is  distract,  and  so  am  I ; 
And  here  we  wander  in  illusions : 
Some  blessed  power  deliver  us  from  hence ! 

Enter  a  Courtesan. 

Cour.  Well  met,  well  met.  Master  Antipholus, 

I  see,  sir,  you  have  found  the  goldsmith  now: 
Is  that  the  chain  you  promised  me  to-day  ? 

Ant.  S.  Satan,  avoid !   I  charge  thee,  tempt  me  not. 

Dro.  S.  Master,  is  this  Mistress  Satan  ? 

Ant.  S.  It  is  the  devil. 

Dro.  S.  Nay,  she  is  worse,  she  is  the  devil's  dam ;     50 

and  here  she  comes  in  the  habit  of  a  light  wench : 

and  thereof  comes  that  the  wenches  say,  '  God 

damn  me  ' ;   that 's  as  much  to  say,  '  God  make 

61 


Act  IV.  Sc.  iii.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

me  a  light  wench.'     It  is  written,  they  appear 

to  men  Hke  angels  of  light :   light  is  an  effect  of 

fire,  and  fire  will  burn ;   ergo,  light  wenches  will 

burn.     Come  not  near  her. 
Coiir,  Your  man  and  you  are  marvellous  merry,  sir. 

Will   you   go   with   me  ?     We  '11   mend   our   dinner 
here? 
Dro.  S.  Master,  if  you  do,   expect  spoon-meat ;    or     60 

bespeak  a  long  spoon. 
Ant.  S.  Why,  Dromio  ? 
Dro.  S.  Marry,  he  must  have  a  long  spoon  that  must 

eat  with  the  devil. 
Ant.  S.  Avoid  then,  fiend !    what  tell'st  thou  me  of 
supping  ? 

Thou  art,  as  you  are  all,  a  sorceress : 

I  conjure  thee  to  leave  me  and  be  gone. 
Coiir.  Give  me  the  ring  of  mine  you  had  at  dinner, 

Or,  for  my  diamond,  the  chain  you  promised, 

And  I  '11  be  gone,  sir,  and  not  trouble  you.  70 

Dro.  S.  Some  devils  ask  but  the  parings  of  one's  nail, 

A  rush,  a  hair,  a  drop  of  blood,  a  pin, 

A  nut,  a  cherry-stone ; 

But  she,  more  covetous,  would  have  a  chain. 

Master,  be  wise :  an  if  you  give  it  her. 

The  devil  will  shake  her  chain,  and  fright  us  with  it. 
Coiir.  I  pray  you,  sir,  my  ring,  or  else  the  chain : 

I  hope  you  do  not  mean  to  cheat  me  so. 
Ant.  S.  Avaunt,  thou  witch!     Come,  Dromio,  let  us  go. 
Dro.  S.  '  Fly  pride,'  says  the  peacock :   mistress,  that  you 

know.  [Exeunt  Ant.  S.  and  Dro.  S.     80 

Cour.  Now,  out  of  doubt  Antipholus  is  mad. 

Else  would  he  never  so  demean  himself. 
62 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  iv. 

A  ring  he  hath  of  mine  worth  forty  ducats, 

And  for  the  same  he  promised  me  a  chain : 

Both  one  and  other  he  denies  me  now. 

The  reason  that  I  gather  he  is  mad, 

Besides  this  present  instance  of  his  rage. 

Is  a  mad  tale  he  told  to-day  at  dinner, 

Of  his  own  doors  being  shut  against  his  entrance. 

Belike  his  wife,  acquainted  with  his  fits,  90 

On  purpose  shut  the  doors  against  his  way. 

My  way  is  now  to  hie  home  to  his  house, 

And  tell  his  wife  that,  being  lunatic. 

He  rush'd  into  my  house,  and  took  perforce 

My  ring  away.     This  course  I  fittest  choose; 

For  forty  ducats  is  too  much  to  lose.  [Exit. 

Scene  IV. 

A   street. 
Enter  Antipholus  of  Ephesus  and  the  OiHcer. 

Ant.  E.  Fear  me  not,  man ;   I  will  not  break  away : 
I  '11  give  thee,  ere  I  leave  thee,  so  much  money, 
To  warrant  thee,  as  I  am  'rested  for. 
My  wife  is  in  a  wayward  mood  to-day, 
And  will  not  lightly  trust  the  messenger. 
That  I  should  be  attach'd  in  Ephesus, 
I  tell  you,  'twill  sound  harshly  in  her  ears. 

Enter  Dromio  of  Ephesus  with  a  rope's-end. 

Here  comes  my  man ;   I  think  he  brings  the  money. 

How  now,  sir !  have  you  that  I  sent  you  for  ? 
Dro.  E.  Here  's  that,  I  warrant  you,  will  pay  them  all.  10 
Ant.  E.  But  where  's  the  money? 

6z 


Act  IV.  Sc.  iv.  .  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Dro.  E.  Why,  sir,  I  gave  the  money  for  the  rope. 

Ant  E.  Five  hundred  ducats,  villain,  for  a  rope? 

Dro.  E.  I  '11  serve  you,  sir,  five  hundred  at  the  rate. 

Ant.  E.  To  what  end  did  I  bid  thee  hie  thee  home? 

Dro.  E.  To  a  rope's-end,  sir ;   and  to  that  end  am  I 
returned. 

Ant.  E.  And  to  that  end,  sir,  I  will  welcome  you. 

[Beating  him. 

Off.  Good  sir,  be  patient. 

Dro.  E.  Nay,  'tis  for  me  to  be  patient ;    I  am  in  ad-     20 
versity. 

Off.  Good  now,  hold  thy  tongue. 

Dro.  E.  Nay,  rather  persuade  him  to  hold  his  hands. 

Ant.  E.  Thou  whoreson,  senseless  villain  ! 

Dro.  E.  I  would  I  were  senseless,  sir,  that  I  might 
not  feel  your  blows. 

Ant.  E.  Thou  art  sensible  in  nothing  but  blows,  and 
so  is  an  ass. 

Dro.  E.  I  am  an  ass,  indeed ;    you  may  prove  it  by 

my  long  ears.  I  have  served  him  from  the  hour  30 
of  my  nativity  to  this  instant,  and  have  nothing 
at  his  hands  for  my  service  but  blows.  When 
I  am  cold,  he  heats  me  with  beating:  when  I 
am  warm,  he  cools  me  with  beating:  I  am 
waked  with  it  when  I  sleep ;  raised  with  it 
when  I  sit ;  driven  out  of  doors  with  it  when  I 
go  from  home ;  welcomed  home  with  it  when 
I  return :  nay,  I  bear  it  on  my  shoulders,  as  a 
beggar  wont  her  brat ;  and,  I  think,  when  he  40 
hath  lamed  me,  I  shall  beg  with  it  from  door  to 
door. 

Ant.  E.  Come,  go  along ;  my  wife  is  coming  yonder. 

64 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  iv. 

Enter  4driana,  huciana^  the  Courtesan,  and  Finch. 

Dro.  E.  Mistress,  '  respice  finem/  respect  your  end ; 
or  rather,  the  prophecy  like  the  parrot,  '  beware 
the  rope's-end.' 

Ant.E.  Wilt  thou  still  talk?  [Beating  him. 

Coiir.  How  say  you  now  ?  is  not  your  husband  mad  ? 

Adr.  His  incivility  confirms  no  less. 

Good  Doctor  Pinch,  you  are  a  conjurer ;  .  50 

Establish  him  in  his  true  sense  again. 

And  I  will  please  you  what  you  will  demand. 

Luc.  Alas,  how  fiery  and  how  sharp  he  looks ! 

Cour.  Mark  how  he  trembles  in  his  ecstasy ! 

Pinch.  Give  me  your  hand,  and  let  me  feel  your  pulse. 

Ant.  E.  There  is  my  hand,  and  let  it  feel  your  ear. 

[Striking  him. 

Pinch.  I  charge  thee,  Satan,  housed  within  this  man, 
To  yield  possession  to  my  holy  prayers. 
And  to  thy  state  of  darkness  hie  thee  straight : 
I  conjure  thee  by  all  the  saints  in  heaven !  60 

Ant.  E.  Peace,  doting  wizard,  peace !   I  am  not  mad. 

Adr.  O,  that  thou  wert  not,  poor  distressed  soul! 

Ant.  E.  You  minion,  you,  are  these  your  customers? 
Did  this  companion  with  the  saffron  face 
Revel  and  feast  it  at  my  house  to-day, 
Whilst  upon  me  the  guilty  doors  were  shut, 
And  I  denied  to  enter  in  my  house  ? 

Adr.  O  husband,  God  doth  know  you  dined  at  home; 
Where  would  you  had  remain'd  until  this  time. 
Free  from  these  slanders  and  this  open  shame !        70 
Ant.  E.  Dined  at  home !     Thou  villain,  what  sayest  thou? 
Dro.  E.  Sir,  sooth  to  say,  you  did  not  dine  at  home. 

65 


Act  IV.  Sc.  iv.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Ant.  E.  Were  not  my  doors  lock'd  up,  and  I  shut  out? 
Dro,  E.  Perdie,  your  doors  were  lock'd,  and  you  shut  out. 
Ant.  E.  And  did  not  she  herself  revile  me  there  ? 
Dro.  E,  Sans  fable,  she  herself  reviled  you  there. 
Ant.  E.  Did  not  her  kitchen-maid  rail,  taunt,  and  scorn 

me? 
Dro.  E.  Certes,  she  did ;   the  kitchen-vestal  scorned  you. 
Ant.  E.  And  did  not  I  in  rage  depart  from  thence? 
Dro.  E.  In  verity  you  did ;   my  bones  bear  witness,         80 

That  since  have  felt  the  vigour  of  his  rage. 
Axdr.  Is  't  good  to  soothe  him  in  these  contraries? 
Pinch.  It  is  no  shame :  the  fellow  finds  his  vein. 

And,  yielding  to  him,  humours  well  his  frenzy. 
Ant.  E.  Thou  hast  suborn'd  the  goldsmith  to  arrest  me. 
Adr.  Alas,  I  sent  you  money  to  redeem  you, 

By  Dromio  here,  who  came  in  haste  for  it. 
Dro.  E.  Money  by  me !  heart  and  good-will  you  might ; 

But  surely,  master,  not  a  rag  of  money. 
Ant.  E.  Went'st  not  thou  to  her  for  a  purse  of  ducats?  90 
Adr.  He  came  to  me,  and  I  deliver'd  it. 
Luc.  And  I  am  witness  with  her  that  she  did. 
Dro.  E.  God  and  the  rope-maker  bear  me  witness 

That  I  was  sent  for  nothing  but  a  rope ! 
Pinch.  Mistress,  both  man  and  master  is  possess'd ; 

I  know  it  by  their  pale  and  deadly  looks : 

They  must  be  bound,  and  laid  in  some  dark  room. 
Ant.  E.  Say,  wherefore  didst  thou  lock  me  forth  to-day? 

And  why  dost  thou  deny  the  bag  of  gold  ? 
Adr.  I  did  not,  gentle  husband,  lock  thee  forth.  100 

Dro.  E.  And,  gentle  master,  I  received  no  gold ; 

But  I  confess,  sir,  that  we  were  lock'd  out. 
Adr.  Dissembling  villain,  thou  speak'st  false  in  both. 
Ant.  E.  Dissembling  harlot,  thou  art  false  in  all, 

66 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  IV.  Sc.  iv. 

And  art  confederate  with  a  damned  pack 
To  make  a  loathsome  abject  scorn  of  me: 
But  with  these  nails  I  '11  pluck  out  these  false  eyes, 
That  would  behold  in  me  this  shameful  sport. 

Enter  three  or  four,  and  offer  to  hind  him.     He  strives. 

Adr.  O,  bind  him,  bind  him !  let  him  not  come  near  me. 
Pinch.  More    company !     The    fiend    is    strong    within 
him.  no 

Luc.  Ay  me,  poor  man,  how  pale  and  wan  he  looks ! 
Ant.  E,  What,  will  you  murder  me?     Thou  gaoler,  thou, 

I  am  thy  prisoner :   wilt  thou  suffer  them 

To  make  a  rescue? 
Off.  Masters,  let  him  go: 

He  is  my  prisoner,  and  you  shall  not  have  him. 
Pinch.  Go  bind  this  man,  for  he  is  frantic  too. 

[They  offer  to  hind  Dro.  E, 
Adr.  What  wilt  thou  do,  thou  peevish  officer? 

Hast  thou  delight  to  see  a  wretched  man 

Do  outrage  and  displeasure  to  himself? 
Off.  He  is  my  prisoner:    if  I  let  him  go,  I20 

The  debt  he  owes  will  be  required  of  me. 
Adr.  I  will  discharge  thee  ere  I  go  from  thee : 

Bear  me  forthwith  unto  his  creditor. 

And,  knowing  how  the  debt  grows,  I  will  pay  it. 

Good  master  doctor,  see  him  safe  convey'd 

Home  to  my  house.     O  most  unhappy  day ! 
Ant.  E.  O  most  unhappy  strumpet ! 
Dro.  E.  Master,  I  am  here  enter'd  in  bond  for  you. 
Ant.  E.  Out  on  thee,  villain !    wherefore  dost  thou  mad 

me? 
Dro.  E.  Will  you  be  bound  for  nothing?   be  mad,  130 

good  master  :   cry,  The  devil ! 
Luc.  God  help,  poor  souls,  how  idly  do  they  talk ! 

67 


Act  IV.  Sc.  iv.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Adr.  Go  bear  him  hence.     Sister,  go  you  with  me. 
[Exeunt  all  but  Adriana,  Luciana,  OMcer  and  Courtezan. 

Say  now ;   whose  suit  is  he  arrested  at  ? 

Off,  One  Angelo,  a  goldsmith:   do  you  know  him? 

Adr.  I  know  the  man.     What  is  the  sum  he  owes? 

Off,  Two  hundred  ducats. 

Adr.  Say,  how  grows  it  due? 

Off.  Due  for  a  chain  your  husband  had  of  him. 

Adr.  He  did  bespeak  a  chain  for  me,  but  had  it  not. 

Cour.  When  as  your  husband,  all  in  rage,  to-day        140 
Came  to  my  house,  and  took  away  my  ring, — 
The  ring  I  saw  upon  his  finger  now, — 
Straight  after  did  I  meet  him  with  a  chain. 

Adr.  It  may  be  so,  but  I  did  never  see  it. 

Come,  gaoler,  bring  me  where  the  goldsmith  is : 
I  long  to  know  the  truth  hereof  at  large. 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  zvith  his  rapier  drawn, 
and  Dromio  of  Syracuse. 

Luc.  God,  for  thy  mercy !   they  are  loose  again. 

Adr.  And  come  with  naked  swords. 

Let 's  call  more  help  to  have  them  bound  again. 

Off.  Away!   they '11  kill  us.  150 

[Exeunt  all  but  Ant.  S.  and  Dro.  S. 

Ant.  S.  I  see  these  witches  are  afraid  of  swords. 

Dro.  S.  She  that  would  be  your  wife  now  ran  from  you. 

Ant.  S.  Come    to   the    Centaur ;     fetch    our    stuff    from 
thence : 
I  long  that  we  were  safe  and  sound  aboard. 

Dro.  S.  Faith,  stay  here  this  night ;   they  will  surely 

do  us  no  harm :  you  saw  they  speak  us  fair,  give 

us  gold :  methinks  they  are  such  a  gentle  nation, 

that,  but  for  the  mountain  of  mad  flesh  that 

68 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

claims  marriage  of  me,  I  could  find  in  my  heart 
to  stay  here  still,  and  turn  witch.  i6o 

A7it.  S.  I  will  not  stay  to-night  for  all  the  town ; 

Therefore  away,  to  get  our  stuff  aboard.       [Exeunt. 


ACT  FIFTH. 

Scene  I. 

A  street  before  a  Priory. 
Enter  Second  Merchant  and  Angela. 

Ang.  I  am  sorry,  sir,  that  I  have  hinder'd  you ; 
But,  I  protest,  he  had  the  chain  of  me. 
Though  most  dishonestly  he  doth  deny  it. 

Sec.  Mer.  How  is  the  man  esteem'd  here  in  the  city? 

Ang.  Of  very  reverent  reputation,  sir, 
Of  credit  infinite,  highly  beloved, 
Second  to  none  that  lives  here  in  the  city : 
His  word  might  bear  my  wealth  at  any  time. 

Sec.  Mer.  Speak  softly :  yonder,  as  I  think,  he  walks. 

Enter  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  and  Dromio  of  Syracuse. 

Ang.  'Tis  so ;  and  that  self  chain  about  his  neck,  lo 

Which  he  forswore  most  monstrously  to  have. 
Good  sir,  draw  near  to  me,  I  '11  speak  to  him  ; 
Signior  Antipholus,  I  wonder  much 
That  you  would  put  me  to  this  shame  and  trouble ; 
And,  not  without  some  scandal  to  yourself. 
With  circumstance  and  oath  so  to  deny 
This  chain  which  now  you  wear  so  openly : 
Beside  the  charge,  the  shame,  imprisonment, 
You  ha\&e  done  wrong  to  this  my  honest  friend ; 

69 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Who,  but  for  staying  on  our  controversy,  20 

Had  hoisted  sail  and  put  to  sea  to-day : 

This  chain  you  had  of  me ;    can  you  deny  it  ? 

Ant.  S.  I  think  I  had ;  I  never  did  deny  it. 

Sec.  Mer.  Yes,  that  you  did,  sir,  and  forswore  it  too. 

Ant.  S.  Who  heard  me  to  deny  it  or  forswear  it  ? 

Sec.  Mer.  These  ears  of  mine,   thou  know'st,   did   hear 
thee. 
Fie  on  thee,  wretch !    'tis  pity  that  thou  Hvest 
To  walk  where  any  honest  men  resort. 

Ant.  S.  Thou  art  a  villain  to  impeach  me  thus : 

I  '11  prove  mine  honour  and  mine  honesty  30 

Against  thee  presently,  if  thou  darest  stand. 

Sec.  Mer.  I  dare,  and  do  defy  thee  for  a  villain. 

[They  draw. 

Enter  Adriana,  Luciana,  the  Courtezan,  and  others. 

Adr.  Hold,  hurt  him  not,  for  God's  sake !    he  is  mad. 
Some  get  within  him,  take  his  sword  away : 
Bind  Dromio  too,  and  bear  them  to  my  house. 

Dro.  S.  Run,  master,  run ;   for  God's  sake,  take  a  house ! 
This  is  some  priory.     In,  or  we  are  spoil'd ! 

[Exeunt  Ant.  S.  and  Dro.  S.  to  the  Priory. 

Enter  the  Lady  Abbess. 

Abb.  Be  quiet,  people.     Wherefore  throng  you  hither? 
Adr.  To  fetch  my  poor  distracted  husband  hence. 

Let  us  come  in,  that  we  may  bind  him  fast,  40 

And  bear  him  home  for  his  recovery. 
Ang,  I  knew  he  was  not  in  his  perfect  wits. 
Sec.  Mer.  I  am  sorry  now  that  I  did  draw  on  him. 
Abb.  How  long  hath  this  possession  held  the  man? 
Adr.  This  week  he  hath  been  heavy,  sour,  sad, 

70 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

And  much  different  from  the  man  he  was ; 

But  till  this  afternoon  his  passion 

Ne'er  brake  into  extremity  of  rage. 
Abb.  Hath  he  not  lost  much  wealth  by  wreck  of  sea? 

Buried  some  dear  friend  ?     Hath  not  else  his  eye     50 

Stray'd  his  affection  in  unlawful  love? 

A  sin  prevailing  much  in  youthful  men, 

Who  give  their  eyes  the  liberty  of  gazing. 

Which  of  these  sorrows  is  he  subject  to? 
Adr.  To  none  of  these,  except  it  be  the  last ; 

Namely,  some  love  that  drew  him  oft  from  home. 
Abb.  You  should  for  that  have  reprehended  him. 
Adr.  Why,  so  I  did. 

Abb.  Ay,  but  not  rough  enough. 

Ad?\  As  roughly  as  my  modesty  would  let  me. 
Abb.  Haply,  in  private. 

Adr.  And  in  assemblies  too.  60 

Abb.  Ay,  but  not  enough. 
Adr.  It  was  the  copy  of  our  conference: 

In  bed,  he  slept  not  for  my  urging  it ; 

At  board,  he  fed  not  for  my  urging  it ; 

Alone,  it  was  the  subject  of  my  theme; 

In  company  I  often  glanced  it ; 

Still  did  I  tell  him  it  was  vile  and  bad. 
Abb.  And  thereof  came  it  that  the  man  was  mad. 

The  venom  clamours  of  a  jealous  woman 

Poisons  more  deadly  than  a  mad  dog's  tooth.  70 

It  seems  his  sleeps  were  hinder'd  by  thy  railing : 

And  thereof  comes  it  that  his  head  is  light. 

Thou  say'st  his  meat  was  sauced  with  thy  upbraid- 
ings: 

Unquiet  meals  make  ill  digestions  ; 

Thereof  the  raging  fire  of  fever  bred ; 

71 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

And  what 's  a  fever  but  a  fit  of  madness  ? 

Thou  say'st  his  sports  were  hinder'd  by  thy  brawls: 

Sweet  recreation  barr'd,  what  doth  ensue 

But  moody  and  dull  melancholy, 

Kinsman  to  grim  and  comfortless  despair  80 

And  at  her  heels  a  huge  infectious  troop 

Of  pale  distemperatures  and  foes  to  life? 

In  food,  and  sport,  and  life-preserving  rest 

To  be  disturbed,  would  mad  or  man  or  beast : 

The  consequence  is,  then,  thy  jealous  fits 

Have  scared  thy  husband  from  the  use  of  wits. 

Luc.  She  never  reprehended  him  but  mildly, 

When  he  demean'd  himself  rough,  rude,  and  wildly. 
Why  bear  you  these  rebukes,  and  answer  not? 

Adr.  She  did  betray  me  to  my  own  reproof.  90 

Good  people,  enter,  and  lay  hold  on  him. 

Abb,  No,  not  a  creature  enters  in  my  house. 

Adr,  Then  let  your  servants  bring  my  husband  forth. 

Abb,  Neither:    he  took  his  place  for  sanctuary. 
And  it  shall  privilege  him  from  your  hands 
Till  I  have  brought  him  to  his  wits  again, 
Or  lose  my  labour  in  assaying  it. 

Adr.  I  will  attend  my  husband,  be  his  nurse, 
Diet  his  sickness,  for  it  is  my  office, 
And  will  have  no  attorney  but  myself;  100 

And  therefore  let  me  have  him  home  with  me. 

Abb,  Be  patient ;   for  I  will  not  let  him  stir 

Till  I  have  used  the  approved  means  I  have, 
With  wholesome  syrups,  drugs  and  holy  prayers, 
To  make  of  him  a  formal  man  again : 
It  is  a  branch  and  parcel  of  mine  oath, 
A  charitable  duty  of  my  order. 
72 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

Therefore  depart,  and  leave  him  here  with  me. 

Adr,  I  will  not  hence,  and  leave  my  husband  here : 

And  ill  it  doth  beseem  your  holiness  no 

To  separate  the  husband  and  the  wife. 

Abb.  Be  quiet,  and  depart :   thou  shalt  not  have  him. 

[Exit. 

Luc.  Complain  unto  the  Duke  of  this  indignity, 

A.dr.  Come,  go :   I  will  fall  prostrate  at  his  feet, 
And  never  rise  until  my  tears  and  prayers 
Have  won  his  Grace  to  come  in  person  hither, 
And  take  perforce  my  husband  from  the  abbess. 

Sec.  Mer.  By  this,  I  think,  the  dial  points  at  five : 
Anon,  I  'm  sure,  the  Duke  himself  in  person 
Comes  this  way  to  the  melancholy  vale,  I20 

The  place  of  death  and  sorry  execution. 
Behind  the  ditches  of  the  abbey  here. 

Ang.  Upon  what  cause? 

Sec.  Mer.  To  see  a  reverend  Syracusian  merchant. 
Who  put  unluckilv  into  this  bay 
Against  the  laws  and  statutes  of  this  town, 
Beheaded  publicly  for  his  offence. 

Ang.  See  where  they  come :   we  will  behold  his  death. 

Luc.  Kneel  to  the  Duke  before  he  pass  the  abbey. 

Enter  Duke,  attended;  ^^geon  bareheaded;  with  the 
Headsman  and  other  Officers. 

Duke.  Yet  once  again  proclaim  it  publicly,  130 

If  any  friend  will  pay  the  sum  for  him, 
He  shall  not  die ;  so  much  we  tender  him. 

Adr,  Justice,  most  sacred  Duke,  against  the  abbess ! 

Duke.  She  is  a  virtuous  and  a  reverend  lady: 
It  cannot  be  that  she  hath  done  thee  wrong. 

73 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Adr.  May   it   please   your   Grace,   Antipholus   my   hus- 
band,— 
Whom  I  made  lord  of  me  and  all  I  had. 
At  your  important  letters, — this  ill  day 
A  most  outrageous  fit  of  madness  took  him; 
That  desperately  he  hurried  through  the  street, —  140 
With  him  his  bondman,  all  as  mad  as  he, — 
Doing  displeasure  to  the  citizens 
By  rushing  in  their  houses,  bearing  thence 
Rings,  jewels,  anything  his  rage  did  like. 
Once  did  I  get  him  bound,  and  sent  him  home. 
Whilst  to  take  order  for  the  wrongs  I  went. 
That  here  and  there  his  fury  had  committed. 
Anon,  I  wot  not  by  what  strong  escape. 
He  broke  from  those  that  had  the  guard  of  him ; 
And  with  his  mad  attendant  and  himself,  150 

Each  one  with  ireful  passion,  with  drawn  swords. 
Met  us  again,  and,  madly  went  on  us, 
Chased  us  away ;  till,  raising  of  more  aid. 
We  came  again  to  bind  them.     Then  they  fled 
Into  this  abbey,  whither  we  pursued  them ; 
And  here  the  abbess  shuts  the  gates  on  us, 
And  will  not  suffer  us  to  fetch  him  out. 
Nor  send  him  forth,  that  we  may  bear  him  hence. 
Therefore,  most  gracious  Duke,  with  thy  command 
Let  him  be  brought  forth,  and  borne  hence  for  help. 

Duke.  Long    since    thy    husband    served    me,  in     my 
wars ;  161 

And  I  to  thee  engaged  a  prince's  word. 
When  thou  didst  make  him  master  of  thy  bed, 
To  do  him  all  the  grace  and  good  I  could. 
Go,  some  of  you,  knock  at  the  abbey-gate, 
And  bid  ^the  lady  abbess  come  to  me. 
I  will  determine  this  before  I  stir. 

74 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

Enter  a  Servant. 

Serv.  O  mistress,  mistress,  shift  and  save  yourself ! 
My  master  and  his  man  are  both  broke  loose. 
Beaten  the  maids  a-row,  and  bound  the  doctor,     170 
Whose  beard  they  have  singed  off  with  brands  of 

fire ; 
And  ever,  as  it  blazed,  they  threw  on  him 
Great  pails  of  puddled  mire  to  quench  the  hair : 
My  master  preaches  patience  to  him,  and  the  while, 
His  man  with  scissors  nicks  him  like  a  fool ; 
And  sure,  unless  you  send  some  present  help. 
Between  them  they  will  kill  the  conjurer. 

Adr.  Peace,  fool !  thy  master  and  his  man  are  here; 
And  that  is  false  thou  dost  report  to  us. 

Serv.  Mistress,  upon  my  life,  I  tell  you  true;  180 

I  have  not  breathed  almost  since  I  did  see  it. 
He  cries  for  you,  and  vows,  if  he  can  take  you, 
To  scorch  your  face  and  to  disfigure  you. 

[Cry  within. 
Hark,  hark  !   I  hear  him,  mistress  :   fly,  be  gone  ! 

Duke.  Come,  stand  by  me ;    fear  nothing.     Guard  with 
halberds ! 

Adr.  Ay  me,  it  is  my  husband!     Witness  you, 
That  he  is  borne  about  invisible: 
Even  now  we  housed  him  in  the  abbey  here ; 
And  now  he  's  there,  past  thought  of  human  reason. 

Enter  Antipholiis  of  Ephesus  and  Dromio  of  Ephesus. 

Ant.  E.  Justice,  most  gracious  Duke,  O,  grant  me  justice  ! 
Even  for  the  service  that  long  since  I  did  thee,    191 
When  I  bestrid  thee  in  the  wars,  and  took 
Deep  scars  to  save  thy  life ;   even  for  the  blood 
That  then  I  lost  for  thee,  now  grant  me  justice. 

75 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

^ge.  Unless  the  fear  of  death  doth  make  me  dote, 
I  see  my  son  Antipholus,  and  Dromio. 

Ant.  E.  Justice,  sweet  prince,  against  that  woman  there ! 
She  whom  thou  gavest  to  me  to  be  my  wife, 
That  hath  abused  and  dishonoured  me 
Even  in  the  strength  and  height  of  injury :  200 

Beyond  imagination  is  the  wrong 
That  she  this  day  hath  shameless  thrown  on  me. 

Duke.  Discover  how,  and  thou  shalt  find  me  just. 

Ant.  E.  This  day,  great  Duke,  she  shut  the  doors  upon 
me, 
While  she  with  harlots  feasted  in  my  house. 

Duke.  A  grievous  fault !     Say,  woman,  didst  thou  so  ? 

Adr.  No,  my  good  lord :  myself,  he  and  my  sister 
To-day  did  dine  together.     So  befal  my  soul 
As  this  is  false  he  burthens  me  withal ! 

Luc.  Ne'er  may  I  look  on  day,  nor  sleep  on  night,         210 
But  she  tells  to  your  Highness  simple  truth ! 

Ang.  O  perjured  woman  !     They  are  both  forsworn : 
In  this  the  madman  justly  chargeth  them. 

Ant.  E.  My  liege,  I  am  advised  what  I  say ; 
Neither  disturbed  with  the  effect  of  wine. 
Nor  heady-rash,  provoked  with  raging  ire, 
Albeit  my  wrongs  might  make  one  wiser  mad. 
This  woman  lock'd  me  out  this  day  from  dinner: 
That  goldsmith  there,  were  he  not  pack'd  with  her, 
Could  witness  it,  for  he  was  with  me  then  ;  220 

Who  parted  with  me  to  go  fetch  a  chain, 
Promising  to  bring  it  to  the  Porpentine, 
Where  Balthazar  and  I  did  dine  together. 
Our  dinner  done,  and  he  not  coming  thither, 
I  went  to  seek  him :   in  the  street  I  met  him, 
And  in  his  company  that  gentleman. 

76 


COMEDY  or  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

There  did  this  perjured  goldsmith  swear  me  down 

That  I  this  day  of  him  received  the  chain, 

Which,  God  he  knows,  I  saw  not :   for  the  which 

He  did  arrest  me  with  an  officer.  230 

I  did  obey ;   and  sent  my  peasant  home 

For  certain  ducats :    he  with  none  return'd. 

Then  fairly  I  bespoke  the  officer 

To  go  in  person  with  me  to  my  house. 

By  the  way  we  met  my  wife,  her  sister,  and  a  rabble 

more 
Of  vile  confederates.     Along  with  them 
They    brought    one    Pinch,    a    hungry    lean-faced 

villain, 
A  mere  anatomy,  a  mountebank, 
A  threadbare  juggler,  and  a  fortune-teller, 
A  needy,  hollow-eyed,  sharp-looking  wretch,  240 

A  living  dead  man :    this  pernicious  slave, 
Forsooth,  took  on  him  as  a  conjurer; 
And,  gazing  in  mine  eyes,  feeling  my  pulse, 
And  with  no  face,  as  'twere,  outfacing  me. 
Cries  out,  I  was  possess'd.     Then  all  together 
They  fell  upon  me,  bound  me,  bore  me  thence, 
And  in  a  dark  and  dankish  vault  at  home 
There  left  me  and  my  man,  both  bound  together; 
Till,  gnawing  with  my  teeth  my  bonds  in  sunder, 
I  gain'd  my  freedom,  and  immediately  250 

Ran  hither  to  your  Grace ;   whom  I  beseech 
To  give  me  ample  satisfaction 
For  these  deep  shames  and  great  indignities. 

Ang.  My  lord,  in  truth,  thus  far  I  witness  with  him, 
That  he  dined  not  at  home,  but  was  lock'd  out. 

Duke.  But  had  he  such  a  chain  of  thee  or  no  ? 

'Ang.  He  had,  my  lord :  and  when  he  ran  in  here, 

7Z 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

These  people  saw  the  chain  about  his  neck. 

Sec.  Mer.  Besides,  I  will  be  sworn  these  ears  of  mine 
Heard  you  confess  you  had  the  chain  of  him,        260 
After  you  first  forswore  it  on  the  mart : 
And  thereupon  I  drew  my  sword  on  you; 
And  then  you  fled  into  this  abbey  here, 
From  whence,  I  think,  you  are  come  by  miracle. 

Ant.  E.  I  never  came  within  these  abbey-walls ; 
Nor  ever  didst  thou  draw  thy  sword  on  me : 
I  never  saw  the  chain,  so  help  me  Heaven ! 
And  this  is  false  you  burthen  me  withal. 

Duke.  Why,  what  an  intricate  impeach  is  this! 

I  think  you  all  have  drunk  of  Circe's  cup.  270 

If  here  you  housed  him,  here  he  would  have  been ; 
If  he  were  mad,  he  would  not  plead  so  coldly : 
You  say  he  dined  at  home ;  the  goldsmith  here 
Denies  that  saying.     Sirrah,  what  say  you  ? 

Dro.  E.  Sir,  he  dined  with  her  there,  at  the  Porpentine. 

Coiir.  He  did ;  and  from  my  finger  snatch'd  that  ring. 

Ant.  E.  'Tis  true,  my  liege;   this  ring  I  liad  of  her. 

Duke.   Saw'st  thou  him  enter  at  the  abbey  here? 

Cour.  As  sure,  my  liege,  as  I  do  see  your  Grace. 

Duke.  Why,  this  is  strange.     Go  call  the  abbess  hither. 
I  think  you  are  all  mated,  or  stark  mad.  281 

[Exit  one  to  the  Abbess. 

Mge.  Most  mighty  Duke,  vouchsafe  me  speak  a  word: 
Haply  I  see  a  friend  will  save  my  life. 
And  pay  the  sum  that  may  deliver  me. 

Duke.  Speak  freely,  Syracusian,  what  thou  wilt. 

^ge.  Is  not  your  name,  sir,  call'd  Antipholus  ? 
And  is  not  that  your  bondman,  Dromio? 

Dro,  E.  Within  this  hour  I  was  his  bondman,  sir^, 

78 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  L 

But  he,  I  thank  him,  gnaw'd  in  two  my  cords : 
Now  am  I  Dromio,  and  his  man  unbound.  290 

^ge.  I  am  sure  you  both  of  you  remember  me. 

Dro.  E.  Ourselves  we  do  remember,  sir,  by  you ; 
For  lately  we  were  bound,  as  you  are  now. 
You  are  not  Pinch's  patient,  are  you,  sir? 

^ge.  Why  look  you  strange  on  me?   you  know  me  well. 

Ant.  E.  I  never  saw  you  in  my  life  till  now. 

^ge.  O,  grief  hath  changed  me  since  you  saw  me  last, 
And  careful  hours  with  time's  deformed  hand 
Have  written  strange  defeatures  in  my  face : 
But  tell  me  yet,  dost  thou  not  know  my  voice  ?      300 

Ant.  E.  Neither. 

j^gc.  Dromio,  nor  thou  ? 

Dro.  E.  No,  trust  me,  sir,  nor  I. 

^ge.  I  am  sure  thou  dost. 

Dro.  E.  Ay,  sir,  but  I  am  sure  I  do  not ;  and  what- 
soever a  man  denies,  you  are  now  bound  to  be- 
lieve him. 

^ge.  Not  know  my  voice !     O  time's  extremity, 

Hast  thou  so  crack'd  and  splitted  my  poor  tongue 

In  seven  short  years,  that  here  my  only  son 

Knows  not  my  feeble  key  of  untuned  cares?        310 

Though  now  this  grained  face  of  mine  be  hid 

In  sap-consuming  winter's  drizzled  snow, 

And  all  the  conduits  of  my  blood  froze  up, 

Yet  hath  my  night  of  life  some  memory. 

My  wasting  lamps  some  fading  glimmer  left. 

My  dull  deaf  ears  a  little  use  to  hear : 

All  these  old  witnesses — I  cannot  err — 

Tell  me  thou  art  my  son  Antipholus. 

Ant.  E.  I  never  saw  my  father  in  my  life. 

79 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

jiEge.  But  seven  years  since,  in  Syracusa,  boy,  32© 

Thou  know'st  we  parted :   but  perhaps,  my  son. 
Thou  shamest  to  acknowledge  me  in  misery. 

A7tt.  E.  The  Duke  and  all  that  know  me  in  the  city 
Can  witness  with  me  that  it  is  not  so: 
I  ne'er  saw  Syracusa  in  my  life. 

Duke.  I  tell  thee,  Syracusian,  twenty  years 
Have  I  been  patron  to  Antipholus, 
During  which  time  he  ne'er  saw  Syracusa: 
I  see  thy  age  and  dangers  make  thee  dote. 

Re-enter  Abbess,  zvith  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  and  Dro- 
mio  of  Syracuse. 

Abb.  Most      mighty      Duke,      behold      a      man      much 

wrong'd.  330 

[All  gather  to  see  them. 

Adr.  I  see  two  husbands,  or  mine  eyes  deceive  me. 

Duke.  One  of  these  men  is  Genius  to  the  other ; 
And  so  of  these.     Which  is  the  natural  man, 
And  which  the  spirit?   who  deciphers  them? 

Dro.  S.  I,  sir,  am  Dromio :   command  him  away. 

Dro.  E.  I,  sir,  am  Dromio ;  pray,  let  me  stay. 

Ant.  S.  ^geon  art  thou  not?  or  else  his  ghost? 

Dro.  S.  O,  my  old  master !   who  hath  bound  him  here  ? 

Abb.  Whoever  bound  him,  I  will  loose  his  bonds, 

And  gain  a  husband  by  his  liberty.  340 

Speak,  old  ^geon,  if  thou  be'st  the  man 

That  hadst  a  wife  once  call'd  Emilia, 

That  bore  thee  at  a  burthen  two  fair  sons : 

O,  if  thou  be'st  the  same  ^geon,  speak, 

And  speak  unto  the  same  Emilia ! 

^ge.  If  I  dream  not,  thou  art  Emilia : 

If  thou  art  she,  tell  me,  where  is  that  son 

80 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

That  floated  with  thee  on  the  fatal  raft? 

Abb.  By  men  of  Epidamnum  he  and  I 

And  the  twin  Dromio,  all  were  taken  up ;  350 

But  by  and  by  rude  fishermen  of  Corinth 

By  force  took  Dromio  and  my  son  from  them, 

And  me  they  left  with  those  of  Epidamnum. 

What  then  became  of  them  I  cannot  tell  ; 

I  to  this  fortune  that  you  see  me  in. 

Duke.  Why,  here  begins  his  morning  story  right: 
These  two  Antipholuses,  these  two  so  like, 
And  these  two  Dromios,  one  in  semblance, — 
Besides  her  urging  of  her  wreck  at  sea, — 
These  are  the  parents  to  these  children,  360 

Which  accidentally  are  met  together. 
Antipholus,  thou  camest  from  Corinth  first? 

Ant.  S.  No,  sir,  not  I ;   I  came  from  Syracuse. 

Duke.  Stay,  stand  apart ;   I  know  not  which  is  which. 

Ant.  E.  I  came  from  Corinth,  my  most  gracious  lord, — 

Dro.  E.  And  I  with  him. 

Ant.  E.  Brought  to  this  town  by  that  most  famous  war- 
rior, 
Duke  Menaphon,  your  most  renowned  uncle. 

Adr.  Which  of  you  two  did  dine  with  me  to-day? 

Ant.  S.  I,  gentle  mistress. 

Adr.  And  are  not  you  my  husband?  370 

Ant.  E.  No ;   I  say  nay  to  that. 

Ant.  S.  And  so  do  I ;  yet  did  she  call  me  so : 
And  this  fair  gentlewoman,  her  sister  here, 
Did  call  me  brother.      [To  Lucia na]     What  I  told 

you  then, 
I  hope  I  shall  have  leisure  to  make  good ; 
If  this  be  not  a  dream  I  see  and  hear. 

Ang.  That  is  the  chain,  sir,  which  you  had  of  me. 

81 


Act  V.  Sc.  i.  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Ant,  S.  I  think  it  be,  sir ;  I  deny  it  not. 

Ant.  E.  And  you,  sir,  for  this  chain  arrested  me.  380 

Aug.  I  think  I  did,  sir;    I  deny  it  not. 

Adr.    I  sent  you  money,  sir,  to  be  your  bail, 

By  Dromio ;  but  I  think  he  brought  it  not. 

Dro.  E.  No,  none  by  me. 

A}it.  S.  This  purse  of  ducats  I  received  from  you, 
And  Dromio  my  man  did  bring  them  me. 
I  see  we  still  did  meet  each  other's  man  ; 
And  I  was  ta'en  for  him,  and  he  for  me ; 
And  thereupon  these  errors  are  arose. 

Ant.  E.  These  ducats  pawn  I  for  my  father  here, 

Duke,  It  shall  not  need;   thy  father  hath  his  life.         390 

Cour,  Sir,  I  must  have  that  diamond  from  you. 

Ant,  E,  There,  take  it ;    and  much  thanks  for  my  good 
cheer. 

Aj.hh.  Renowned  Duke,  vouchsafe  to  take  the  pains 
To  go  with  us  into  the  abbey  here. 
And  hear  at  large  discoursed  all  our  fortunes : 
And  all  that  are  assembled  in  this  place. 
That  by  this  sympathized  one  day's  error 
Have  sufifer'd  wrong,  go  keep  us  company. 
And  we  shall  make  full  satisfaction. 
Thirty-three  years  have  I  but  gone  in  travail      400 
Of  you,  my  sons ;   and  till  this  present  hour 
My  heavy  burthen  ne'er  delivered. 
The  Duke,  my  husband,  and  my  children  both, 
And  you  the  calendars  of  their  nativity. 
Go  to  a  gossips'  feast,  and  go  with  me ; 
After  so  long  grief,  such  nativity  ! 

Duke.  With  all  my  heart,  I  '11  gossip  at  this  feast. 

[Exeunt  all  hut  Ant,  S.,  Ant.  E.,  Dro.  S.,  and  Dro.  E, 

82 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Act  V.  Sc.  i. 

Dro.  S.  Master,  shall  I  fetch  your  stuff  from  ship-board  ? 
Ant.  E.  Dromio,  what  stuff  of  mine  hast  thou  embark'd? 
Dro.  S.  Your  goods  that  lay  at  host,  sir,  in  the  Centaur. 
Ant.  S.  He  speaks  to  me.     I  am  your  master,  Dromio: 

Come,  go  with  us  ;   we  '11  look  to  that  anon :  412 

Embrace  thy  brother  there;    rejoice  with  him. 

[Exeunt  Ant.  S.  and  Ant.  E. 
Dro.  S.  There  is  a  fat  friend  at  your  master's  house, 

That  kitchen'd  me  for  you  to-day  at  dinner : 

She  now  shall  be  my  sister,  not  my  wife. 
Dro.  E.  Methinks  you  are  my  glass,  and  not  my  brother : 

I  see  by  you  I  am  a  sweet-faced  youth. 

Will  you  walk  in  to  see  their  gossiping? 
Dro.  S.  Not  I,  sir ;   you  are  my  elder.  420 

Dro.  E.  That 's  a  question  :  how  shall  we  try  it  ? 
Dro.  S.  We  '11  draw  cuts  for  the  senior :    till  then  lead 

thou  first. 
Dro.  E.  Nay,  then,  thus  : 

We  came  into  the  world  like  brother  and  brother ; 

And  now   let 's  go  hand  in   hand,   not  one   before 
another.  [Exeunt. 


83 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Glossary. 


Advised,  well  informed  of,  de- 
liberate concerning;  V.  i.  214. 
Albeit,  although;  V.  i.  217. 
Amain,  with  might  and  main; 

I.  i.  93. 

Anatomy,  skeleton;  V.  i.  238. 

Angels;  an  angel  was  an  Eng- 
lish coin,  worth  about  ten 
shillings;  IV.  iii.  39. 


the    sergeant,    "because    he 

comes  from  behind  to  arrest 

one  " ;  IV.  ii.  37. 
Ballast,  ballasted,  loaded;  III. 

ii.  139- 
Band,hond  (used  equivocally)  ; 

IV.  ii.  49. 
Beads,  rosary ;  II.  ii.  189. 
Bear,  carry  off;  V.  i.  8. 


From  a  specimen  of  the  time  of  Elizabeth. 


Apparently,   obviously;    IV.   i. 

Armadoes,  armadas ;  III.  ii. 
138. 

A-row,  in  a  row,  one  after  an- 
other, V.  i.  170. 

Assured,  affianced;  III.  ii.  143. 

Attach,  arrest;  IV.  i.  6. 

Attaint,  disgrace;  III.  ii.  16. 

Austerley,  seriously;  IV.  ii. 
2. 

Back-friend,  an  adversary ;  per- 
haps   applied   quibblingly    to 


Become,  render  becoming;  III. 
ii.  II, 

Belike,  'tis  likely;  IV.  i.  25. 
Bestow,  employ,  make  use  of; 

IV.  i.  16. 

Bestowed,  stowed,  deposited;  I. 
ii.  78. 

Bestrid;  "  b.  thee,"  i.e.  "  de- 
fended   thee    when    fallen  " ; 

V.  i.  192. 

Board,  table ;  III.  ii.  18. 

Bought  and  sold,  deluded  and 
overreached  by  foul  prac- 
tices; III.  i.  72. 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Glossary 


By;  "  send  me  by  some  token  "; 
a  not  uncommon  Elizabethan 
idiom,  meaning  "  give  me 
some  token  whereby  I  may 
show  that  you  have  sent  me" ; 
IV.  i.  56. 

Caracks,  galleons,  large  ships 
of  burden ;  III.  ii.  138. 


From  an  engraving:  in  HalliwelPs  Folio 

Edition. 


Caract,  carat;  IV.  i.  28. 

Carcanet,  necklace;  III.  i.  4, 

Careful,  full  of  care ;  V.  i.  298. 

Carriage,  bearing:  III.  ii.  14. 

Carved,  made  amorous  ges- 
tures; II.  ii.  119. 

Case;  "  an  action  upon  the  case 
is  a  general  action  given  for 
the  redress  of  a  wrong  done 
any  man  without  force,  and 
not  especially  provided  for  by 
law  " ;  IV.  ii.  42. 

Cates,  dainties;  III.  i.  28. 

Charged,  gave  in  charge ;  III.  i. 
8. 

Chargeful,  expensive ;  IV.  i.  29. 

Children  (trisyllabic)  ;  V.  i. 
360. 

Choleric ;  the  choleric  man  was 
advised  "to  abstain  from  all 
salt,  scorched,  dry  meats, 
from  mustard,  and  such  like 
things  as  might  aggravate 
his  malignant  humours  "  ;  II. 
ii.  62. 

Circumstance,  detail;  V.  i.  16. 

Claim;  "my  heaven's  claim," 
i.e.  "all  that  I  claim  from 
heaven  hereafter";  III.  ii. 
64. 


From  a  Sixteenth  Century  Venetian  specimen. 
85 


Glossary 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Clean,  entirely;  I.  i.  134. 

Coil,  ado;  III.  i,  48. 

Coldly,  coolly;  V.  i.  272. 

Common;  "make  a  c.  of,"  i.e. 
"  use  as  a  playground  " ;  II. 
ii.  29. 

Compact  of,  wholly  composed 
of;  III.  ii.  22. 

Companion  (used  contemptu- 
ously), fellow;  IV.  iv.  64. 

Conceit,  conception;  III.  ii.  34. 
apprehension ;  IV.  ii.  65. 

Confiscate,  confiscated;  I.  i.  21. 

Confounds,  destroys;  I.  ii.  38. 

Confusion,  ruin;  II.  ii.   181. 

Consort,  to  keep  company  with; 
I.  ii.  28. 

Countermands,  stops  one  go- 
ing through ;  IV.  ii.  Z7- 

Cozenage,  cheating;  I.  ii.  97. 

Credit,  credulity;  III.  ii.  22. 

Curtal,  having  a  docked  tail ; 
III.  ii.  148  {cp.  "turn  i'  the 
wheel  "). 

Customers  (used  contemptu- 
ously), visitors,  guests;  IV. 
iv.  63. 

Cuts;  papers  cut  of  unequal 
lengths,  of  which  the  long- 
est was  usually  the  prize ; 
hence,  "  to  draw  cuts  =:  to 
draw  lots  " ;  V.  i.  422. 

Dankish,  dampish ;  V.  i.  247. 
Deadly,  deathly;  IV.  iv.  96. 
Death;  "the  death,"  i.e.  "death 
by   judicial   sentence";   I.   i. 

147. 
Debted,  indebted;  IV.  i.  31. 
Deciphers,  distinguishes;  V.  i. 

334. 
Decline,  incline ;  III.  ii.  44. 


Declining,  inclining;  III.  ii. 
136. 

Defeatures,  disfigurements;  II. 
i.  98 ;  V.  i.  299. 

Deformed,  deforming;  V.  i. 
298. 

Demean,  conduct ;  IV.  iii.  82. 

Denied  (followed  by  a  tauto- 
logical negative)  ;  IV.  ii.  7. 

Despite  of;  "  in  d.  of  mirth," 
i.e.  "  though  I  feel  despiteful 
towards  mirth";  III.  i.  108. 

Detain,  withhold;  IL  i.  107 

Dilate,  narrate;  I.  i.  123. 

Disannul,  annul;  I.  i.  145. 

Discharged,  paid;  IV.  i.  32. 

Dispense  with,  put  up  with ; 
II.  i.  103. 

Dispose,  disposal;  I.  i.  21. 

Disposed,  disposed  of;  I.  ii.  73. 

Distain'd,  sullied,  disgraced ; 
II.  ii.  147. 

Distemperatures,  distempers ; 
V.  i.  82. 

Distract,  distracted;  IV.  iii.  41. 

Diviner,  sorceress;  III.  ii.  142. 

DowsaheU  a  poetic  name,  used 
.occasionally  in  Elizabethan 
writers  generically  for  a 
beautiful  lass  {douce  et 
belle)  ;  ironically  applied  by 
Dromio  of  Syracuse  to  the 
wench  whose  real  name  is 
Nell;  IV.  i.  no. 

Draws  dry-foot,  traces  the  scent 
of  the  game ;  "  perhaps  so 
called  because,  according  to 
sportsmen,  in  water  the  scent 
is  lost  "  ;  IV.  ii.  39. 

Dry,  hard,  severe;  II.  ii.  6^. 

Durance;  v.  "everlasting  gar- 
ment"; IV.  iii.  26. 


86 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Glossary 


Earnest;  used  quibblingly  with 
reference  to  the  sense  of 
"  earnest-money  "  ;   II,  ii.  24. 

Ecstasy,  frenzy,  madness;  IV. 
iv.  54.  _ 

Everlasting  garment,  alluding 
to  "the  buff  jerkin"  of  the 
sergeant, — "a  suit  of  du- 
rance" as  it  was  called;  IV. 

ii-  33- 

Excrement,  outgrowth  (ap- 
plied to  hair)  ;  II.  ii.  79. 

Exempt,  separated;  II.  ii.   172. 

Fair,  fairness,  beauty;  II.  i. 
98. 

Faith;  "breast  ...  of 
faith"  ("flint  has  been 
adopted  by  some  editors,  but 
there  is  not  sufficient  reason 
for  the  change ;  by  faith  men 
resisted  a  witch's  power)  ; 
III.  ii.  148. 

Fall,  let  fall;  II.  ii.  127. 

Falsing,  (?)  apt  to  be  falsified; 
II.  ii.  95. 

Fine  and  recovery;  a  legal 
term,  said  to  be  "  the  strong- 
est assurance  known  to  Eng- 
lish law";  II.  ii.  74. 

Finger;  "  to  put  the  f.  in  the 
eye,"  i.e.  "  to  weep  in  a  child- 
ish way  ";  II.  ii.  205. 

Fly  pride;  "a  proverbial 
phrase,  by  which  Dromio 
rebukes  the  woman,  whom 
he  thinks  a  cheat,  for  accu- 
sing his  master  of  cheat- 
ing"; IV.  iii.  80. 

Folded,  concealed;  III.  ii.  $6. 

Fond,  doting;  II.  i.  116. 

Fondly,  foolishly;  IV.  ii.  57. 


Fool-hegg'd,  foolishly  begged 
or  demanded;  II.  i.  41. 

Formal,  ordinary,  rational ;  V. 
i.  105. 

Forswore;  "  forswore  to  have," 
i.e.  "  swore  that  he  did  not 
have";  V.  i.  11. 

Forth;  "to  find  f.,"  i.e.  "to 
find  out " ;  I.  ii.  2)7 ',  away 
from  home;  II.  ii.  211. 

For  why,  because ;  III.  ii.  104. 

Fraughtage,  freight ;  IV.  i.  87. 

Genius,  attending  spirit;  V.  i. 
332.  _ 

Get  within,  close  with,  grapple 
with ;  V.  i.  34. 

Gillian  :=  JuYiand.;  III.  i.  31. 

Ginn  zzz  Jenny ;  III.  i.  31. 

Good  now  =  good  fellow  now 
(others  explain  the  phrase 
as  equivalent  to  "  well 
now  ")  ;  IV.  iv.  22. 

Gossip,  make  merry ;  V.  i.  407. 

Gossiping,  merry-making  (with 
a  probable  reference  to  orig- 
inal sense,  a  sponsors'  feast); 
V.  i.  419. 

Gossips,  sponsors ;  V.  i.  405. 

Grain;  "in  grain,"  i.e.  "in- 
grained, deeply  dyed";  III. 
ii.  107. 

Grained,  furrowed  (like  the 
grain  of  wood)  ;  V.  i.  311. 

Growing,  accruing;  IV.  i.  8. 

Guilders;  Dutch  coins  of  the 
value  of  about  two  shillings ; 
used  in  a  general  sense  for 
"  money  "  ;  I.  i.  8. 

Harlots,  lewd  fellows ;  V.  i. 
205. 


87 


Glossary 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Hatch,  half -door,  wicket;   III. 

i.  2>Z- 
Healthful,  full  of  safety;   I.   i. 

IIS- 
Heart's  meteors;   "  alluding  to 

those  meteors  in  the  sky  (the 

aurora  borealis)   which  have 

the    appearance    of    lines    of 

armies       meeting       in       the 

shock  "  ;  IV.  ii.  6. 
Heir   (with  a  play  upon  hair, 

cf.  Preface)  ;  III.  ii.  125. 
Hell,     used     quibblingly ;     the 

cant    term    for    an    obscure 

dungeon ;  IV.  ii.  40. 
Helpless,  unavailing;  II.  i.  39. 
His,  its;  II.  i.  no. 
Hit  of,  hit  on,  guess ;  III.  ii.  30. 
Holp,  helped;  IV.  i.  22. 
Horn-mad;       "  mad      like       a 

wicked  bull ;   generally   used 

with    a    reference    to    cuck- 

oldry  "  ;  II.  i.  58. 
Host;  "  lay  at  h.  in,"  i.e.  "  were 

put  up  at";  V.  i.  410. 
Host,  lodge ;  I.  ii.  9. 
Hoy,  a  small  vessel,  a  kind  of 

sloop;  IV.  iii.  39. 

Impeach,    impeachment;    V.    i. 

269. 
Important,    importunate ;    V.    i. 

Instance,  indication;  I.  i.  65. 
Intestine,  internal;  I.  i.  11. 

lest  upon,  trifle  with ;  II.  ii.  28. 

Judgement;  "before  the  J.," 
there  is  perhaps  a  quibbling 
allusion  in  the  phrase  to 
what  is  called  mesne-pro- 
cess;  IV.  ii.  40. 


Kitchen'd,  entertained  in  the 
kitchen;  V.  i.  415. 

Lapland;  Shakespeare's  sole 
reference  to  Lapland  sorcer- 
ers {cp.  Milton's  "  Lapland 
witches  ")  ;  IV.  iii.  11. 

Lash'd,  scourged  (with  per- 
haps a  reference  to  "lashed" 
in  the  sense  of  "  fastened, 
bound  ")  ;  II.  i.  15. 

Lets,  hinders ;  II.  i.  105. 

Liberties,  libertinisms,  "  1.  of 
sin,"  i.e.  "  licensed  offend- 
ers "  ;  I.  ii.  102. 

Light,  wanton  (used  equivo- 
cally) ;  IV.  iii.  51. 

Limbo;  a  cant  term  for 
"prison,"  properly,  "  hell,"  or 
"the  borders  of  hell");  IV. 
ii.  32. 

Love-springs,  shoots  of  love; 
III.  ii.  3. 

Mace,  a  sergeant's  club;  IV. 
iii.  28. 

Made,  barred;  III.  i.  93. 

Making,  outward  form;  IV.  ii. 
22. 

Malt-horse;  a  dull,  heavy 
horse,  like  a  brewer's,  used 
contemptuously;  III.  i.  32. 

Mated;  used  quibblingly  in  the 
sense  of  "  confounded,"  and 
"given  as  a  mate";   III.  ii. 

54- 

Mermaid,  siren;  III.  ii.  45. 

Mickle,  much;  III.  i.  45. 

Minion,  favourite  (used  con- 
temptuously) ,  darling ;  IV. 
iv.  6y,  pi  II.  i.  87. 

Mome,  buffoon ;  III.  i.  32. 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Glossary 


Mood,  anger;  II.  ii.  171. 
Morris-pike,   a    Moorish   pike; 

IV.  iii.  28. 
Mortal,  deadly;  I.  i.  11. 
Motions,  proposals ;  I.  i.  60. 
Mountebanks;    "  prating    m." ; 

I.  ii.   Id ;   cp.  the  following 

woodcut : — 


Of,  out  of,  from;  I.  i.  131; 
"wreck  of  sea"  (so  first 
Folio,  the  rest  "at  sea")  = 
off,  out  at  sea ;  V.  i.  49. 

On;  "on  night,"  i.e.  "a 
night";  V.  i.  210. 

Once  this;  "  so  much  is  cer- 
tain"; III.  i.  89. 


From  an  early  black-letter  ballad  in  the  collection  of  the  late  J.  O.  Halliwell- 
Phillips,  Esq. 


Moves,  appeals  to ;  II.  ii.  182. 

Nature,  natural  affection ;  I.  i. 

35. 

New-apparelled  (vide  Notes)  ; 
IV.  iii.  14. 

Nicks;  "  n.  him  like  a  fool," 
alluding  to  the  old  custom 
of  shaving,  nicking,  or  notch- 
ing the  head  of  a  profes- 
sional buffoon;  V.  i.  175. 

O'er-raught,  overcalled,  cheat- 
ed; I.  ii.  96. 


Duke  of  Suffolk's  fool  Ktemp.  Henry 
VIII).  From  Brydges's  Memoirs  of 
the  Peers  of  England. 

Order,  measures ;  V.  i.  146. 


89 


Glossary 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Other;   "  no   other   cause,"   i.e. 

"  no  cause  to  be  otherwise  "  ; 

11.  i.  33. 
Owe,  own;  III.  i.  42. 

Pack'd,  leagued;  V.  i.  219. 

Parcel,  part;  V.  i.  106. 

Part,  depart;  III.  i.  67. 

Partial;  "  I  am  not  p.  to  in- 
fringe," i.e.  "  I  am  not  so  in- 
clined in  your  behalf  as  to 
infringe  "  ;  I.  i.  4. 

Passage,  the  going  to  and  fro 
of  people ;  III.  i.  99. 

Patch,  fool,  jester;  III.  i.  32. 

Peasant,  servant;  V.  i.  231. 

Peevish,  foolish;  IV.  i.  93. 

Penitent,  doing  penance;  I.  ii. 
52. 

Perdie,  par  dieu!  IV.  iv.  74. 

Perforce,  by  force;  IV.  iii.  94. 

Peruse,  survey;  I.  ii.  I3- 

Plainings,  wailings ;  I.  i.  7Z. 

Please,  pay ;  IV.  iv.  52. 

Porpentine,  Porcupine  (the 
only  form  of  the  word  used 
by  Shakespeare)  ;  III.  i.  116. 


From  a  leaden  token  in  the  collection 
of  the  late  C.  Roach  Smith,  Esq. 

Post,  post-haste ;  I.  ii.  63. 

Post;  used  quibblingly;  an  al- 
lusion to  keeping  the  score 
by  chalk  or  notches  on  a 
post;  I.  ii.  64. 


Presently,  immediately;  III.  ii. 
150. 

Quit,  remit ;  I.  i.  23. 

Rag,  shred,  particle ;  IV.  iv.  89. 

Rest;  "  sets  .  up  his  rest  "  ; 
Dromio  plays  on  "  rest," 
"  arrest,"  and  a  metaphor, 
"  setting  up  his  rest,"  taken 
from  gaming,  and  meaning 
"  staking  his  all "  upon  an 
event ;  IV.  iii.  27. 

Reverted,  turned  back ;  III.  ii. 
124. 

Road,  harbour;  III.  ii.  150. 

Round;  used  quibblingly  in  the 
sense  of  (i)  "spherical," 
and  (2)  "plain-spoken";  II. 
i.  82. 

Runs  counter;  follows  the 
scent  backward  instead  of 
forward ;  with  a  play  perhaps 
upon  "  Counter,"  the  name 
of  two  London  prisons;  IV. 
ii.  39. 

Sconce,  a  helmet  (originally  a 
small  fort,  bulwark),  applied 
also  to  the  head  itself;  I.  ii. 
79;  II.  ii.  34;  II.  ii.  2)7- 

Scorch,  excoriate;  V.  i.  183. 

Season,  opportunity ;  "  to  s."  = 
"  at  the  opportune  time " ; 
IV.  ii.  58. 

Semblance,    (trisyllabic)  ;  V.  i. 

358; 
Sensible    (used    equivocally   in 

ordinary  sense  and  in   sense 

of  "sensitive")  IV.  iv.  28. 
Sere,  dry,  withered;  IV.  ii.  19. 
Shapeless,    unshapely;    IV.    ii. 

20. 


90 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Glossary 


Shrive,  call  to  confession ;  11. 
ii.  209. 

Sinking-ripe,  ripe  for  sinking, 
ready  to  sink;  I.  i.  78, 

Sir-reverence ;  a  corruption  of 
"  save-reverence  "  (contract- 
ed into  "  sa'-reverence  ")  '  a 
translation  of  Lat.  salvd  rev- 
erentia;  save-reverence  or 
save  your  reverence  was  con- 
sidered "  a  sufficient  apology 
for  anything  indecorous  " ; 
III.  ii.  91. 

Soh  (first  Folio  reads  "  fob," 
i.e.  sobj  probably  an  error 
for  "  fob,"  which  was  used 
by  Elizabethan  writers  in  the 
sense  of  a  slight  blow)  ;  IV. 
iii.  25. 

Soon,  nearly ;  "  s.  at  five 
o'clock,"  i.e.  "  about  five 
o'clock  " ;  I.  ii.  26. 

Soothe,  humour;  IV.  iv.  82. 

^onx  pitiable,  sad;  V.  i.  121, 

Sot,  dolt ;  II.  ii.  195. 

Sour  (dissyllabic;  "sower"  in 
the  Folios)  ;  V.  i.  45. 

Spite,  vexation ;  IV.  ii.  8. 

Spoon-meat  (used  equivocally, 
to  introduce  allusion  to  the 
proverb,  "  he  must  have  a 
long  spoon  that  must  eat 
with  the  devil  ")  ;  IV.  iii.  60. 

Stale ;  "  second  woman,"  the 
one  to  fall  back  on  if  an- 
other is  not  to  be  had;  II.  i. 

lOI. 

Stands  up  on, concerns;  IV.i.  68. 

Stigniatical,  marked  or  stigma- 
tized with  deformity;  IV.  ii. 
22. 

Stomach,  appetite;  I.  ii.  49. 


Stray' d  caused  to  stray ;  V.i.  51. 

Strong;  "  s.  escape,"  i.e.  "es- 
cape effected  by  strength,  or 
violence  " ;  V.  i.  148. 

Strumpeted,  made  a  strumpet 
of;  II.  ii.  145. 

Stuff,  baggage;  IV.  iv.   153. 

Supposed,  conjectured;    III.   i. 

lOI. 

Suspect,  suspicion ;  III.  i.  87. 
Sympathised,      mutually      suf- 
fered; V.  i.  397. 

Take;  "t.  a  house,"  i.e.  "take 
sanctuary  in  a  house  " ;  V.  i. 
26. 

Tartar,  Tartarian ;  it  is  note- 
worthy that  Tartarian  was  a 
cant  term  for  "thief";  IV. 
ii.  22. 

Tilting,  V.  Heart's  Meteors. 

Timely,  speedy;   I.  i.  139. 

Tiring,  attiring;  II,  ii.  98. 

To,  of;  III.  ii.  168. 

Took  on  him  as,  pretended  to 
be;  V.  i.  242. 

Train,  entice ;  III.  ii.  45. 

Turn  i'  the  zvheel;  "  there  is 
comprehended,  under  the 
curs  of  the  coarsest  kind,  a 
certain  dog  in  kitchen  serv- 
ice excellent ;  for  when  any 
meat  is  to  be  roasted,  they  go 
into  a  wheel,  which  they 
turning  round  about  with  the 
weight  of  their  bodies,  so 
diligently  look  to  their  busi- 
ness, that  no  drudge  nor 
scullion  can  do  the  feat  more 
cunningly."  (Topsell,  His- 
tory of  Four-footed  beasts, 
1607)  ;  III.  ii.  149. 


Glossary 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


From  a  representation  taken  by  Wig- 
stead  from  an  inn  in  Wales,  at  the 
close  of  the  last  century. 

Understand  (used  quibblingly 
with  a  play  upon  "  under- 
stand "  =  "  stand  under  ")  ; 
II,  ii.  49. 

Ungalled,  unblemished;  III.  i. 
102. 

Unhappy,  mischievous ;  IV.  iv. 
127. 

Untuned,  discordant;  V.  i.  310. 

Vain,  light  of  tongue;  III.  ii. 
27. 


Villain   (used  good-humoured- 

ly)  ;  I.  ii.  19. 
Vulgar,  public;  III.  i.  100. 

Waftage,  passage;  IV.  i.  95. 

Wafts,  beckons;  II.  ii.  no. 

Week;  perhaps  with  a  play  up- 
on "  wick  "  (pronounced  like 
"  week")  ;  III.  ii.  100. 

Well-advised,  acting  with  due 
deliberation,  in  right  mind; 
II.  ii.  214. 

When?  Can  you  tellf  "  a  pro- 
verbial inquiry  indicating  the 
improbability  that  the  person 
addressed  will  get  what  he 
asks  ";  III.  i.  52. 

When  as,  whenas,  i.e.  when; 
IV.  iv.  140. 

Whether  (monosyllabic,  print- 
ed "  whe'r  "  in  the  Folios)  ; 
IV.  i.  60. 

Wink,  to  shut  the  eyes ;  III.  ii. 
58. 

Wont,  is  wont  (to  bear)  ;  IV. 
iv.  40. 


92 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Critical  Notes. 

BY   ISRAEL   GOLLANCZ. 

I.  i.  55.  'meaner,'  S.  Walker's  conjecture;  Folio  i  '  meane' 
Folio  2  '  poor  meane.' 

I.  i.  79.  '  the  latter-born ' ;  line  125  below  seems  to  imply  that 
this  should  be  '  elder-born,'  a  change  adopted  by  Rowe ;  but  prob- 
ably '  the  children  became  exchanged  in  the  confusion  during  the 
breaking-up  of  the  ship.' 

I.  ii.  41.  '  the  almanac  of  my  true  date/  because  both  were  born 
in  the  same  hour. 

I.  ii.  64.  '/  sJiall  be  post  indeed';  a  post  stood  in  the  middle  of 
the  shop,  on  which  the  scores  of  the  customers  were  scored,  or 
marked  with  chalk  or  notches. 

I.  ii.  66.  '  clock  ' ;  Pope's  emendation  for  '  cook,'  the  reading  of 
the  Folios. 

II.  i.  109-113.  These  lines  read  as  follows  in  the  Folio: — 

'I  see  the  lewell  best  enameled 
Will  loose  his  lustre;  yet  the  gold  bides  still 
That  others  touch,  and  often  touching  will. 
Where  gold  and  no  man  thai  hath  a  name,'  etc. 

The  change  of  where  to  wear  in  the  last  line  has  been  generally 
accepted,  as  also  and  though  for  yet  in  the  second  line;  yet  for 
and  in  the  third;  and  so  a  man  for  and  no  man  in  the  fourth; 
Warburton  paraphrases  this  passage  thus  emended : — "  Gold,  in- 
deed, will  long  bear  the  handling;  however,  often  touching  {i.e. 
assaying)  will  wear  even  gold:  just  so  the  greatest  character, 
though  as  pure  as  gold  itself,  may  in  time  be  injured  by  the  re- 
peated attacks  of  falsehood  and  corruption."  The  Cambridge 
editors  wisely  abstain  from  these  wholesale  emendations,  though 
so  far  no  satisfactory  explanation  has  been  given  of  the  lines. 
May  not  the  meaning  of  the  passage  depend  on  some  such  inter- 
pretation as  this: — The  wife  (the  jewel)  soon  loses  her  beauty 
and  ceases  to  attract,  but  man  (the  gold)  still  stands  the  test, 
assayed  by  other  women,  and  although  gold  wears  out  if  assayed 

93 


Notes  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

too  often,  yet  a  man  of  good  reputation  is  not  shamed  by  his 
falsehood  and  corruption.  '  Wherefore,'  says  Adriana,  '  since  I 
(the  jewel)  cannot  please  his  eye,  I'll  weep  what's  left  away,'  etc. 

II.  ii.  89.  'jollity';  Staunton  suggested  that  the  reading  is  an 
error  for  'policy'  and  the  reading  has  been  adopted  by  some  mod- 
ern editors. 

II.  ii.  119.  As  the  line  stands,  it  reads-  as  an  Alexandrine. 
Walker  suggested  carv'd  thee  for  carved  to  thee',  others  propose 
the  omission  of  to  thee;  neither  change  seems  desirable. 

II.  ii.  147,  'I  live  distain'd,  thou  undishonoured' ;  so  read  the 
Folios ;  distain'd  has  been  changed  to  unstain'd  in  most  modern 
editions;  Heath  proposed  'I  live  distained,  thou  dishonoured.' 
The  line  as  it  stands  in  the  text  seems  to  mean,  *  I  live  distained 
{i.e.  stained),  if  untrue  to  my  marriage  vows;  you,  however,  live 
undishonoured,  however  false  you  may  be.' 

II.  ii.  186.  'this  are  sure  uncertainty' ;  i.e.  'This  to  her  surely 
a  thing  uncertain.' 

II.  ii.  191.  The  second  folio  reads  'and  Elves  Sprites,'  which 
Rowe  altered  to  Elvish  sprites,  a  reading  adopted  by  most  editors. 
Theobald  proposed  to  change  owls  to  ouphes. 

II.  ii.  195.  'thou  drone,'  Theobald's  emendation;  Folio  i  'thou 
Dromio.' 

II.  ii.  200.  '  'tis  to  an  ass ' ;  the  words  remind  one  of  Bottom's 
transformation  in  the  Midsummer-N ighf s  Dream. 

III.  i.  53.  '  If  thy  name  he  called  Luce  ' ;  '  Luce  '  =  '  pike  ' ;  there 
is  perhaps  a  play  upon  '  pike '  in  the  sense  of  '  spear,'  cp.  '  Shall  I 
set  in  my  staff F'  line  51. 

III.  i.  54.  Probably  a  line  has  been  lost  rhyming  with  this ;  the 
rhyming  word  was  perhaps  rope. 

III.  ii.  66.  'I  am  thee';  this  reading  of  the  Folio  may  surely, 
without  risk,  be  emended: — 'I  aim  thee,'  i.e.  '  I  aim  at  thee';  the 
transitive  use  of  aim  is  found  in  Elizabethan  writers. 

III.  ii.  124.  'armed  and  reverted,  making  war  against  her  heir' ; 
Folio  2  substituted  hair  for  heir,  but  the  play  upon  words  is  the 
whole  point  of  the  passage,  an  allusion  being  intended  to  the 
War  of  the  League  against  Henry  of  Navarre,  the  heir  of  Henry 
III.  of  France,  whose  cause  was  supported  by  Elizabeth ;  in  1591 
she  sent  a  body  of  4,000  men  under  Essex  to  help  him.  "  Mistress 
Nell's  brazen  forehead  seemed  to  push  back  her  rough  and  rebel- 
lious hair,  as  France  resisted  the  claim  of  the  Protestant  heir  to 
the  throne  "  (Clarke). 

94 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

English  enthusiasm  for  Henry  of  Navarre  found  expression, 
too,  in  Shakespeare's  Love's  Labour's  Lost  (cp.  Preface). 

As  regards  the  peculiar  use  of  reverted,  i.e.  'turned  back,' 
Schmidt  suggests  that  there  may  be  a  play  upon  the  sense  of 
*  fallen  to  another  proprietor.' 

IV.  i.  21.  '/  buy  a  thousand  pound  a  year' ;  some  point  in  these 
words,  familiar  to  Shakespeare's  audience,  is  lost  to  us,  and  no 
satisfactory  explanation  has  as  yet  been  given,  though  Halliwell's 
comparison  of  the  line  with  3  Henry  VL,  II.  ii.  144,  is  note- 
worthy : — 

"A  wisp  of  straw  were  worth  a  thousand  crowns, 
To  make  this  shameless  callet  know  herself." 

IV.  ii.  35.  'A  Hend,  a  fury';  the  Folios  read  'fairy,'  corrected 
by  Theobald,  who  has  been  followed  by  most  editors,  including 
the  Cambridge  editors ;  a  strong  case  can,  however,  be  made  for 
the  original  reading  {e.g.  cp.  Hamlet,  I.  i.  161-163). 

IV.  ii.  61.  'If  Time  be  in  debt';  the  Folios  read  'If  I,'  where  / 
is  probably  an  error  for  'a  {i.e.  he)  or  he;  the  reading  in  the  text 
is  Rowe's  emendation. 

IV.  iii.  13.  '  What,  have  you  got  the  picture  of  old  Adam  new- 
apparelled  f  'The  picture  of  old  Adam'  =z  the  sergeant,  who 
was  clad  '  in  buif ' ;  in  Elizabethan  slang  this  latter  phrase  was 
used  in  the  sense  of  '  bare  skin,'  i.e.  '  naked ' ;  hence  the  quibble. 
New-apparelled  offers  some  difficulty,  and  depends  on  the  general 
construction  of  the  whole  line.  It  has  been  ingeniously  suggested 
that  the  idea  is  '  got  him  a  new  suit,'  i.e.  '  got  rid  of  him.'  On  the 
other  hand,  there  is  a  possibility  that  the  phrase  '  what  have  you 
got?'  is  a  vulgarism  for  '  What  have  you  done  with?'  Theobald 
proposed  to  read  '  What,  have  you  got  rid  of  the  picture,'  etc.  In 
the  latter  cases  new-apparelled  must  be  regarded  as  merely  a  de- 
scriptive epithet,  the  whole  phrase  '  the  picture  of  old  Adam  new- 
apparelled  '  being  an  elaborate  circumlocution  for  *  sergeant.' 

IV.  iii.  58.  '  We'll  mend  our  dinner,'  i.e.  'we'll  buy  something 
more  for  our  dinner.' 

IV.  iv.  45.  '  the  prophecy  like  the  parrot,  beware  the  rope's  end' ; 
the  Cambridge  editors  most  ingeniously  conjecture  that  we  should 
read : — 

"or,  rather,  '  prospice  funem,'  beivare  the  rope's-end. 

Antipholus  of  E.    Wilt  thou  still  talk  like  the  parrot?" 

Dyce  proposed,  '  or,  rather,  to  prophecy  like,'  etc. 

95 


Notes  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

Parrots  were  taught  uncomplimentary  remarks  in  Elizabethan 
times  as  they  are  at  present ;  there  are  many  allusions  to  the  very 
phrase  in  the  text :  Ralpho,  in  Butler's  Hudihras, 

"  Could  tell  what  subtlest  parrots  mean, 
That  speak,  but  think  contrary  clean; 
What  member  'tis  of  whom  they  talk. 
When  they  cry  rope,  and  walk,  knave,  walk." 

V.  i.  46.  'And  much  ditferent,'  etc.,  the  second  Folio,  for  the 
sake  of  the  metre,  reads  much,  much ;  a  reading  which  does  not 
commend  itself;  too  much  has  been  conjectured.  The  line  as  it 
stands  is  certainly  doubtful ;  different  does  not  occur  in  Shake- 
speare. 

V.  i.  66.  'glanced  it';  Pope's  conjectural  at  it  is  unnecessary, 
though  glance  in  the  sense  to  hint,  used  transitively,  does  not 
otherwise  occur;  Folio  i  does  not  elide  the  ed  of  glanced. 

V.  i.  79.  '  But  moody  and  dull  melancholy ' ;  something  is  ob- 
viously amiss  with  the  line ;  moody  moping  has  been  suggested. 
Kinsman  in  the  next  line  is  used  in  its  general  sense  of  akin, 
which  some  editors  have  unnecessarily  substituted;  it  has  even 
been  changed  to  kins-woman. 

V.  i.  170.  '  Beaten  the  maids'  etc.,  i.e.  have  beaten ;  but  the 
previous  verb  has  are — a  confusion  of  constructions  which  causes 
little  difficulty,  and  fairly  common  in  Elizabethan  English. 

V.  i.  310.  '  my  feeble  key  of  untuned  cares f  i.e.  'the  feeble  tone 
of  my  voice,  which  gives  utterance  to  nothing  but  unharmonious 
grief.' 

V.  i.  388.  'these  Errors  are  arose/  so  the  Folios;  are  has  been 
variously  changed  by  scholars  into  all,  rare,  but  no  change  is 
necessary;  as  far  as  rhythm  is  concerned  the  Folio  reading  is 
certainly  preferable. 

V.  i.  400.  '  Thirty-three  years' ',  this  reading  of  the  Folios  has 
been  changed  to  twenty-iive  by  most  editors,  following  Theobald, 
who  calculates  the  age  of  the  twins  by  putting  together  what 
^geon  says  in  Act.  I.  i.  125  and  in  line  320  of  Act  V.  Capell 
suggested  twenty-three,  from  Act  I.  i.  line  125  and  line  133.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  Duke  states  in  line  326  of  the  present  Act  that 
he  has  been  patron  to  Antipholus  for  '  twenty  years ' ;  it  looks  as 
though  Shakespeare  changed  his  idea  as  to  the  age  of  the  twins 
towards  the  end  of  the  play,  without  troubling  to  make  all  his 
references  fit  in  with  one  another. 

V.  i.  402.  '  burthen  ne'er,'  Dyce ;  Folio  i,  '  burthen  are.' 

96 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

V.  i.  404.  'And  you  the  calendars  of  their  nativity; '  i.e.  the  two 
Dromios;  cp.  'Here  comes  the  almanac  of  my  true  date,'  I.  ii.  41. 

V.  i.  406.  'After  so  long  grief,  such  nativity! '  the  labouring  line 
harmonizes  well  with  the  emotion  of  the  speaker;  the  line  is 
evidently  intended  to  be  read  as  follows : — 

'  After  I  so  long  \  grief,  such  \  nativ  \  ity.' 

There  seems  no  reason  for  changing  nativity,  though  Hanmer's 
conjecture  felicity  has  been  accepted  by  most  editors;  Johnson 
ppoposed  festivity. 


97 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Explanatory  Notes. 


The  Explanatory  Notes  in  this  edition  have  been  specially  selected  and 
adapted,  with  emendations  after  the  latest  and  best  authorities,  from  the 
most  eminent  Shakespearian  scholars  and  commentators,  including  Johnson, 
Malone,  Steevens,  Singer,  Dyce,  Hudson,  White,  Furness,  Dowden,  and 
others.  This  method,  here  introduced  for  the  first  time,  provides  the  best 
annotation  of  Shakespeare  ever  embraced  in  a  single  edition. 


ACT  FIRST. 
Scene  I. 

I,  The  paternal  TEgton  resembles  the  Egeus  of  Midsummer- 
Night's  Dream,  as  in  name  so  in  position  and  function  in  the  play; 
introduced  with  a  Duke  judicial  in  the  first  Scene,  he  supplies 
the  place  of  prologue,  and  only  reappears,  after  the  development 
of  the  situations  he  set  forth  into  a  wild  succession  of  ingenious 
entanglements,  to  assist  at  and  witness  their  final  evolution  with 
surprise  and  satisfaction. 

13  et  seq.  It  hath  in  solemn  synods  been  decreed,  etc. : — "  The 
offence  which  yEgeon  had  committed,"  says  Knight,  "  and  the 
penalty  which  he  had  incurred,  are  pointed  out  with  a  minuteness 
by  which  the  Poet  doubtless  intended  to  convey  his  sense  of  the 
gross  injustice  of  such  enactments.  In  The  Taming  of  the 
Shrew,  written  most  probably  about  the  same  period  as  The 
Comedy  of  Errors,  the  jealousies  of  commercial  states,  exhibiting 
themselves  in  violent  decrees  and  impracticable  regulations,  are 
also  depicted  by  the  same  powerful  hand  "  : — 

Tranio.  Of  Mantau,  sir  ?  marry,  God  forbid ! 
Pedant.  Of  Mantua. 

Tranio.  Of  Mantua,   sir?  marry,   God  forbid! 

And  come  to  Padua,  careless  of  your  life? 
Pedant.  My  life,  sir  !    how,  I  pray  ?    for  that  goes  hard. 

98 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

Tranio.  'Tis  death  for  any  one  in  Mantua 

To  come  to  Padua.    Know  you  not  the  cause? 
Your  ships  are  stay'd  at  Venice ;  and  the  Duke, 
For  private  quarrel  'twixt  your  duke  and  him, 
Hath  publish'd  and  proclaim'd  it  openly. 

52  et  seq.  the  one  so  like  the  other,  etc.: — Knight  remarks:  "In 
Plautus  we  have  no  broken-hearted  father  bereft  of  both  his  sons : 
he  is  dead;* and  the  grandfather  changes  the  name  of  the  one 
child  who  remains  to  him.  Shakespeare  does  not  stop  to  tell  us 
how  the  twin-brothers  bear  the  same  name ;  nor  does  he  explain 
the  matter  any  more  in  the  case  of  the  Dromios,  whose  introduc- 
tion upon  the  scene  is  his  own  creation.  In  Plautus,  the  brother, 
Mensechmus  Sosicles,  who  remained  with  the  grandsire,  comes 
to  Epidamnum,  in  search  of  his  twin-brother  who  was  stolen, 
and  he  is  accompanied  by  his  servant  Messenio ;  but  all  the  per- 
plexities that  are  so  naturally  occasioned  by  the  confusion  of  the 
two  twin-servants  are  entirely  wanting.  The  mistakes  are  carried 
on  by  the  '  meretrix,  uxor,  et  socer'  (softened  by  Warner  into 
'father,  wife,  neighbours')."  On  this  point  of  the  perplexities 
Lloyd  says :  "  The  entire  action  of  the  Mencuehmi  of  Plautus  is 
generated  by  the  mistaken  identities  and  twin  brothers;  and  of 
like  nature  is  the  mainspring  of  The  Comedy  of  Errors,  and  the 
importance  which  a  mere  casualty  and  coincidence  asserts  for  it- 
self in  the  action,  is  an  original  quality  in  the  stuff  of  the  play  that 
would  render  a  varied  display  of  fine  characterization,  inappro- 
priate at  least,  if  not  impossible.  But  the  poet  who  chooses  a 
theme  of  restricted  capability,  is  at  least  bound  to  avail  himself 
to  the  utmost  of  what  capability  it  has ;  that  this  was  not  done 
by  Plautus  is  proved  by  the  comedy  of  Shakespeare  which  com- 
plicates the  source  of  embarrassment — the  personal  resemblance  of 
two  masters,  by  the  addition  of  a  pair  of  servants  equally  undis- 
tinguishable ;  and  most  triumphantly  overcomes  all  the  difficulty 
of  the  double  complication  carried  out  to  the  most  extravagant 
pitch  of  mistakes  and  misconception.  The  reader  and  still  more 
the  spectator,  enjoys  the  perplexities  of  a  well-filled  scene  while 
he  never  falls  into  perplexity  himself." 

88.  tozvards  Corinth: — "Towards,"  says  Hudson,  "is  one  or 
two  syllables,  and  has  the  accent  on  the  first  or  second  syllable, 
indifferently  in  Shakespeare,  according  to  the  needs  of  his  verse. 
Here  it  is  two  syllables,  with  the  accent  on  the  first." 

152.  beneficial  help: — "Assistance  rendered  out  of  charity  or 
kindness." 

99 


Notes  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

155-  »7  fio: — No,  which  is  the  reading  of  the  first  Folio,  was 
formerly  often  used  for  not. 

Scene  II. 

97  et  seq.  "  Steevens  considered  that  the  description  of  Ephesus 
in  The  Comedy  of  Errors, 

'  They  say  this  town  is  full  of  cozenage,'  etc. 

was  derived  from  Warner's  translation,  where  '  ribalds,  parasites, 
drunkards,  catchpoles,  coney-catchers,  sycophants,  and  courte- 
sans,' are  found;  the  voluptarii,  potatores,  sycophantcu,  palpatores, 
and  meret rices  of  Plautus.  But  the  'jugglers,'  'sorcerers,' 
'  witches,'  of  Shakespeare  are  not  these.  With  his  exquisite 
judgement,  Shakespeare  gave  Ephesus  more  characteristic  'lib- 
erties of  5in.'  "  Lloyd  remarks  that  "  the  description  is  in  accord- 
ance with  various  classical  notices  of  Ephesian  practice,  but  inas- 
much as  it  is  still  more  so  with  the  account  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  of  the  exorcists  in  that  city,  Jewish  and  other,  we  cannot 
argue  from  the  passage  either  in  favour  of  the  classical  acquire- 
ments of  Shakespeare,  or  against  his  originality  if  these  are  denied 
him.  We  see  at  least  the  Poet's  motive  for  transferring  his 
Comedy  of  Errors  to  a  locality  where  such  errors  would  most 
alarm  and  bewilder,  and  professors  of  exorcism  like  our  zealous 
anatomy  Pinch,  be  within  call." 

ACT  SECOND. 
Scene  I. 

4.  Luciana : — A  fair  reward  is  by  the  introduction  of  this  char- 
acter provided  for  Antipholus,  the  traveller — a  pleasing  scene  of 
love-making,  although  a  little  at  cross  purposes,  and  the  prospect 
of  a  wedding  at  last,  the  only  true  benediction  to  the  fortunes  of  a 
comedy.  Richard  Grant  White  says  that  in  the  substitution  of 
Luciana,  the  sister  of  Adriana,  for  the  Father  of  the  Latin  comedy, 
we  very  surely  have  an  indication  of  Shakespeare's  dramatic  skill ; 
the  expostulations  which  he  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the  young 
woman  are  far  more  convincing  and  to  the  purpose  than  the  re- 
proaches which  Plautus  makes  the  old  man  deal  out  to  both  hus- 
band and  wife. 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

30.  start  some  other  zvheref — That  is,  somewhere  else.  The 
sense  seems  to  be,  how  if  your  husband  fly  off  in  pursuit  of  some 
other  woman  ? 

32.  though  she  pause : — "  Meaning,  I  suppose,"  says  Hudson, 
"that  it  is  no  wonder  if  patience  keeps  quiet  when  she  has  nothing 
to  fret  or  disturb  her." 

3S.  that  have  no  other  cause : — That  is,  ?w  cause  to  be  other- 
wise. 

41.  fool-hegg'd  patience,  etc. : — Referring  to  the  old  custom  of 
soliciting  the  guardianship  of  fools  and  idiotic  persons  with  a  view 
to  their  property.  The  king,  being  the  legal  guardian  of  such 
persons,  might  make  over  the  trust  to  whom  he  pleased;  and 
relatives  or  other  interested  parties  would  beg  the  office. 

95.  master  of  my  state: — State  here  means  estate.  This  usage 
was  frequent  in  Shakespeare's  day. 

98.  Of  my  defeatures : — Cotgave  has  "  Un  visage  desfaict : 
Growne  very  leane,  pale,  wan,  or  decayed  in  feature  and  colour." 
It  occurs  again  in  the  last  Act;  and  is  also  used  by  the  Poet  in 
Venus  and  Adonis : — 

"  To  mingle  beauty  with  infirmities. 
And  pure  perfection  with  impure  defeature" 

Scene  II. 

38.  and  insconce  it  too : — To  insconce  was  to  hide,  to  protect  as 
with  a  fort. 

62.  Lest  it  make  you  choleric  : — Meats  overdone  in  cooking  were 
supposed  to  induce  this  condition.  So  in  The  Taming  of  the 
Shrew : — 

"  I  tell  thee,  Kate  'twas  burnt  and  dried  away ; 
And  I  expressly  am  forbid  to  touch  it. 
For  it  engenders  choler,  planteth  anger." 

82,  83.  there 's  many  a  man,  etc. : — The  following  lines  upon 
Suckling's  Aglaura,  printed  in  folio,  may  serve  to  illustrate  this 
proverbial  sentence : — 

"  This  great  voluminous  pamphlet  may  be  said 
To  be  like  one  that  hath  more  hair  than  head ; 
More  excrement  than  body : — trees  which  sprout 
With  broadest  leaves  have  still  the  smallest  fruit." 

lOI 


Notes  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

84,  85.  hath  the  wit  to  lose  his  hair : — An  allusion  to  the  effects 
of  the  so-called  French  disease,  which  caused  loss  of  hair. 

172.  you  are  from  vie  exempt: — Shakespeare  uses  the  word 
exempt  in  i  Henry  VL,  II.  iv.,  in  a  similar  sense : — 

"And,  by  his  treason,  stand'st  thou  not  attainted, 
Corrupted,  and  exempt  from  ancient  gentry?" 

So  in  The  Triumph  of  Honour,  by  Beaumont  and  Fletcher : — 

"  Hard-hearted  Dorigen  !   yield,  lest  for  contempt 
They  fix  you  there  a  rock  whence  they  're  exempt." 

175.  Thou  art  an  elm,  my  husband,  I  a  vine : — So  Milton's  Para- 
dise Lost,  V.  215  :  "  They  led  the  vine  to  wed  her  elm  :  she,  spoused, 
about  him  twines  her  marriageable  arms."  Thus  also  in  Midsum- 
mer-Night's Dream  :  "  The  female  ivy  so  enrings  the  barky  fingers 
of  the  elm."  Douce  observes  that  there  is  something  extremely 
beautiful  in  making  the  vine  the  lawful  spouse  of  the  elm,  and 
the  parasite  plants  here  named  its  concubines.  See  also  Ovid's 
tale  of  Vertumnus  and  Pomona, 

179.  idle  moss: — That  is,  unfruitful.  So  in  Othello,  I.  iii. : 
"  Antres  vast  and  deserts  idle." 

ACT  THIRD. 
Scene  L 

6,  7.  would  face  me  dozvn,  etc, : — The  meaning,  according  to 
Hudson,  is:  "Would  convince  me  that  he  met  me  on  the  mart, 
and  that  I  beat  him." 

15.  Marry: — This  interjection  is  a  short  way  of  putting  the  old 
form  of  swearing  or  affirming  by  the  Virgin  Mary.  It  thus 
evolved  into  a  common  exclamation  of  the  Elizabethan  period, 

60.  a  pair  of  stocks: — The  stocks  were  a  rude  device  for  the 
punishment  of  evil-doers.  The  device  consisted  of  timbers  or 
boards  with  holes  cut  in  them.  The  boards  were  held  between 
upright  posts.  The  offender's  feet  were  thrust  through  the  holes 
in  the  boards  and  securely  fastened. 

83.  we  'II  pluck  a  croiv  together: — To  pluck  a  crow  with  any  one 
was  to  quarrel  or  fight  with  him ;  a  proverbial  phrase. 

95.  let  us  to  the  Tiger: — An  inn  of  that  name.  Centaur  and 
Phoenix,  already  mentioned,  were  likewise  inns. 

102 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

Scene  II. 

3.  love-springs: — Shakespeare  uses  this  term  again  in  Venus 
and  Adonis:  "This  canker  that  eats  up  Love's  tender  spring." 
And  in  the  Rape  of  Lucrece :  "  To  dry  the  old  oak's  sap  and  cher- 
ish springs." 

52.  By  Love  here  is  meant  Venus,  Queen  of  love.  In  Venus 
and  Adonis  she  says  : — 

"  Love  is  a  spirit  all  compact  of  fire, 
Not  gross  to  sink,  but  light,  and  will  aspire." 

no  et  seq.  Nell,  sir;  etc. : — Of  course  there  is  a  quibble  between 
a  Nell  and  an  ell;  referring  to  an  ell  Flemish,  which  is  three- 
quarters  of  a  yard. 

166.  guilty  to  self-zvrong: — So  in  The  Winter's  Tale:  "But  as 
the  unthought-on  accident  is  guilty  to  what  we  wildly  do." 

184.  So  fair  an  offer'd  chain : — A  chain  so  fairly  offered. 

ACT  FOURTH. 
Scene  I. 

95.  to  hire  waftage : — Hire  is  here  a  dissyllable,  and  is  spelt  hier 
in  the  old  copy. 

Scene  II. 

6.  Of  his  heart's  meteors  tilting  in  his  face? — The  following  in 
Paradise  Lost,  ii.,  may  be  read  in  connection  with  the  idea  under- 
lying these  words : — 

"  As  when,  to  warn  proud  cities,  war  appears. 
Waged  in  the  troubled  sky,  and  armies  rush 
To  battle  in  the  clouds,  before  each  van 
Prick  forth  the  aery  knights,  and  couch  their  spears, 
Till  thickest  legions  close ;  with  feats  of  arms 
From  either  end  of  heaven  the  welkin  burns." 

7.  denied,  etc. : — So  in  Richard  IIL  : — 

"You  may  deny  that  you  were  not  the  cause 
Of  my  Lord  Hastings'  late  imprisonment." 

103 


Notes  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

2.'].  Far  from  her  nest  the  lapwing  cries  away : — This  proverbial 
expression  is  again  alluded  to  in  Measure  for  Measure,  I.  iv.  32. 

55.  everlasting  garment: — This  characteristic  of  the  buff  jerkin 
is  also  noted  in  i  Henry  IV. :  "  And  is  not  a  huff  jerkin  a  most 
sweet  robe  of  durance?  "     So  also  in  Davies's  Epigrams: — 

"  Kate,  being  pleas'd,  wish'd  that  her  pleasure  could 
Endure  as  long  as  a  buff  jerkin  would." 

38.  lands : — Shakespeare  would  have  put  lanes  but  for  the 
rhyme. 

56.  if  any  hour  meet  a  sergeant: — Hour  and  whore  were  pro- 
nounced alike,  or  nearly  so. 

Scene  III. 

60,  61.  or  bespeak  a  long  spoon : — This  proverb,  "  He  who  eats 
with  the  devil  had  need  of  a  long  spoon,"  is  alluded  to  again  in 
The  Tempest,  II.  ii. 

Scene  IV, 

30.  my  long  ears: — Hudson  makes  this  a  quibble  between  ears 
and  years. 

54.  Mark  how  he  trembles  in  his  ecstasy! — This  tremor  was 
thought  to  be  a  sure  indication  of  being  possessed  by  the  devil. 
Caliban,  in  The  Tempest,  H.  ii.,  says :  "  Thou  dost  me  yet  but 
little  hurt;  thou  wilt  anon,  I  know  it  by  thy  trembling." 


ACT  FIFTH. 
Scene  I. 

62.  Copy : — "  Copy,"says  Hudson,  "  here  seems  to  mean  prin- 
cipal topic  or  theme ;  that  is,  the  pattern  or  form  after  which  the 
conversation  was  shaped."  Steevens  has  the^  like  explanation. 
Schmidt  suggests,  "a  law  to  be  followed,  a  rule  to  be  observed." 

81.  at  her  heels: — This  her,  referring  to  kinsman,  has  puzzled 
the  commentators.  It  was  no  very  unusual  thing  for  such  words 
to  be  applied  to  females.    Thus  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Por- 

104 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Notes 

tia  says :  "  But  now  I  was  the  lord  of  this  fair  mansion,  master 
of  my  servants." 

138.  important: — Shakespeare  uses  this  word  again  in  King 
Lear,  and  in  Much  Ado  About  Nothing,  in  the  same  sense  {im- 
portunate) .  The  Poet  gives  to  Ephesus  the  custom  of  wardship, 
so  long  considered  a  grievous  oppression  in  England. 

192.  bestrid : — This  act  of  friendship  is  mentioned  by  Shake- 
speare in  I  Henry  IV.:  "Hal,  if  thou  see  me  down  in  the  battle, 
and  bestride  me,  so ;  'tis  a  point  of  friendship."  Again  in  2  Henry 
VI.:— 

"  Three  times  to-day  I  holp  him  to  his  horse, 
Three  times  bestrid  him;  thrice  I  led  him  off." 

346  et  seq.  If  I  dream  not,  etc. : — In  the  old  copy  this  speech  of 
^geon,  and  the  subsequent  one  of  the  abbess,  follow  the  speech 
of  the  Duke.    It  is  evident  that  they  were  transposed  by  mistake. 

356.  his  morning  story : — The  morning  story  is  what  ^geon 
tells  the  Duke  in  the  first  Scene  of  this  play. 


105 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 


Questions  on 

The  Comedy  of  Errors. 


1.  What  is  the  date  of  this  play? 

2.  In  what  contemporary  account  is  it  mentioned? 

3.  Mention  some  points  of  internal  evidence  that  help  to  estab- 
lish the  date. 

4.  What  Latin  author  has  furnished  the  basis  of  this  play? 

5.  In  what  respects  does  Shakespeare's  play  differ? 

6.  Name  the  canons  of  the  classic  drama  that  Shakespeare  has 
observed  in  this  play. 

ACT  FIRST. 

7.  State  the  cause  of  the  existing  enmity  between  Ephesus  and 
Syracuse,  and  tell  what  legislation  has  followed,  under  which 
^geon  suffers. 

8.  How  does  .^geon  play  the  part  of  prologue? 

9.  Give  the  parts  of  his  story. 

10.  Is  the  first  Scene  in  the  key  of  the  rest  of  the  drama? 

11.  What  kind  of  a  play  might  one  reasonably  expect  from  the 
note  here  struck? 

12.  How  is  the  transition  made  from  the  sober  incidents  of  the 
first  Scene  to  the  broad  comedy  of  the  second? 

13.  Upon  what  quest  is  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  engaged? 

14.  What  is  the  first  misadventure  and  what  misunderstanding 
does  it  involve? 

ACT  SECOND. 

15.  Contrast  the  characters  of  the  two  sisters  as  exhibited  in 
the  first  Scene. 

16.  What  expectations  are  aroused  respecting  the  part  Luclana 
will  play  in  the  comedy? 

106 


COMEDY  OF  ERRORS  Questions 

17.  What  structural  oddities  of  speech  does  Dromio  of  Ephesus 
affect? 

18.  What  relationship  evidently  existed  between  Antipholus  of 
Syracuse  and  his  Dromio? 

19.  If  the  Syracusian  Dromio  shows  intellectual  qualities  dif- 
fering from  the  Ephesian,  might  the  masters  have  been  expected 
to  detect  the  difference  and  comment  on  it? 

20.  What  theatrical  opportunities  does  Adriana's  long  speech 
(Sc.  ii.)  afford? 

21.  In  the  case  of  Adriana,  has  Shakespeare  gone  outside  the 
absolute  demands  of  farce  in  embracing  an  opportunity  for  char- 
acterization? 

22.  How  does  the  second  Act  close? 


ACT   THIRD. 

23.  Indicate  the  metrical  change  in  Sc.  i. 

24.  Is  its  effect  humorous? 

25.  What  scene  is  enacted  outside  the   door  of  the  house   of 
Antipholus  of  Ephesus? 

S2.  What  escape  does  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  plan? 

27.  How  does  Antipholus  of  Ephesus  repay  his  wife  for  ex- 
cluding him  from  his  house? 

28.  Comment  on  the  mixture  of  seriousness  and  drollery  in  the 
dialogue  (Sc.  ii.)  between  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  and  Luciana. 

29.  Does  any  other  Scene  in  the  play  match  it  in  quality?     Does 
the  denouement  satisfy  the  expectations  of  this  Scene? 

30.  Into  what  comic  plight  did  Dromio  of  Syracuse  fall  at  the 
house  of  Antipholus  of  Ephesus? 

31.  Mention  some  things  in  this  Scene  indicating  that  this  is  an 
early  play  of  Shakespeare's. 

32.  What  escape  does  Antipholus  of  Syracuse  plan? 

33.  What  mistake  is  made  with  the  chain? 


ACT  FOURTH. 

34.  Indicate  the  function  of  the  Merchant  in  accelerating  the 
speed  of  the  complication. 

35.  When  does  the  rope  enter  as  an  element  of  the  plot,  and 
what  use  is  made  of  it  in  the  subsequent  action  ? 

107 


Questions  COMEDY  OF  ERRORS 

36.  What  difference  is  precipitated  between  Angelo  and  An- 
tipholus  of  Ephesus? 

37.  On  what  second  errand  is  Dromio  of  Syracuse  sent  to  the 
house  of  Antipholus  of  Ephesus? 

38.  State  the  episodic  value  of  the  opening  dialogue  of  Sc.  ii. 

39.  Show  the  complication  of  misunderstandings  presented  in 
the  second  part  of  the  Seen*". 

40.  Where  is  the  climax  of  complication  involving  Antipholus 
of  Syracuse? 

41.  Mention  the  various  elements  that  comprise  the  complica- 
tion. 

42.  Mention  the  various  elements  that  comprise  the  climax  of 
complications  involving  Antipholus  of  Ephesus. 

43.  State  the  case  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Courtesan. 

44.  What  is  the  concluding  episode  of  the  fourth  Scene? 

ACT  FIFTH. 

45.  Are  the  complications  presented  in  the  last  Act  only  acces- 
sory to  those  that  involve  the  protagonists,  and  therefore  partake 
of  the  nature  of  resolutions  of  the  plot? 

46.  What  part  does  the  Abbess  play  in  the  drama  and  in  the 
plot? 

47.  How  is  the  situation  with  which  the  play  opened  recurred 
to  in  the  last  Act? 

48.  When  is  the  exact  moment  of  solution? 

49.  Describe  Pinch.    Of  whom  is  he  doubtless  a  prototype? 

50.  Comment  on  his  appearance  and  actions.  What  was  his 
fate?  

51.  Is  this  play  pure  farce;  or  is  it  mingled  with  elements  of 
comedy  ? 

52.  Swinburne  has  praised  its  elegiac  qualities.  Indicate  the 
parts  that  may  be  so  described. 

53.  Contrast  the  two  Antipholuses.  Which  is  the  superior  in 
qualities  ? 

54.  Do  the  same  for  the  two  Dromios. 


108 


UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA-LOS   ANGELES 


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